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When We Were Sisters
As children in foster care, Cecilia and Robin vowed they would be the sisters each had never had. Thirty years later their bond remains strong. International pop star Cecilia lives life on the edge, but when Robin is nearly killed in an accident, she drops everything to be with her.
Robin set aside her career as a successful photojournalist to create the loving family she always yearned for. But now, as she realizes how close she's come to losing everything, she questions what she really has. Gazing through a wide-angle lens at both past and future she sees that her marriage is disintegrating. Her attorney husband is rarely home, leaving Robin to be both mother and father. She and the children need Kris's love and attention, but does Kris need them?
When Cecilia asks Robin to be the still photographer for a documentary on foster care, Robin agrees, even though Kris will be forced to take charge for the months she's away. She gambles that he'll prove to them both that their children—and their marriage—are a priority in his life.
Cecilia herself needs more than time with her sister. A lifetime of lies has finally caught up with her. She wants a chance to tell the real story of their childhood and free herself from the nightmares that still color her nights.
As the documentary unfolds, memories will be tested and the meaning of family redefined, but the love two young girls forged into bonds of sisterhood will help them move forward as the women they were always meant to be.
Robin set aside her career as a successful photojournalist to create the loving family she always yearned for. But now, as she realizes how close she's come to losing everything, she questions what she really has. Gazing through a wide-angle lens at both past and future she sees that her marriage is disintegrating. Her attorney husband is rarely home, leaving Robin to be both mother and father. She and the children need Kris's love and attention, but does Kris need them?
When Cecilia asks Robin to be the still photographer for a documentary on foster care, Robin agrees, even though Kris will be forced to take charge for the months she's away. She gambles that he'll prove to them both that their children—and their marriage—are a priority in his life.
Cecilia herself needs more than time with her sister. A lifetime of lies has finally caught up with her. She wants a chance to tell the real story of their childhood and free herself from the nightmares that still color her nights.
As the documentary unfolds, memories will be tested and the meaning of family redefined, but the love two young girls forged into bonds of sisterhood will help them move forward as the women they were always meant to be.
15 pages, Audible Audio
First published May 31, 2016
683 people are currently reading
4505 people want to read
About the author
Emilie Richards
188 books944 followersI'm the author of seventy-something novels, including romance, women's fiction and mystery. When We Were Sisters debuted in June 2016, a stand alone novel about two foster sisters traveling back into their past together. I loved writing it and love the cover my publisher chose.
I'm also excited about my recent series, Goddesses Anonymous, which started with One Mountain Away and was followed by Somewhere Between Luck and Trust. The third book in the series, A River Too Wide, came out in July 2014. The Color of Light debuted in August 2015. Will there be more? We'll see.
I'm also putting up my newly edited romance backlist and love re-reading and updating them a bit.
Last year my husband and I moved from Virginia, to Osprey, Florida, the state where both of us were raised, met, and married. In the summer we live in Chautauqua, New York. I'm a quilter, knitter, kayaker, and the mother of four children, whom I regard as my greatest creative endeavors. And now there are four wonderful grandchildren to spoil.
Visit me at my web site, emilierichards.com, and my blog, www.emilierichards.com/blog. You can also find me at Twitter and on my Facebook reader page.
I'm also excited about my recent series, Goddesses Anonymous, which started with One Mountain Away and was followed by Somewhere Between Luck and Trust. The third book in the series, A River Too Wide, came out in July 2014. The Color of Light debuted in August 2015. Will there be more? We'll see.
I'm also putting up my newly edited romance backlist and love re-reading and updating them a bit.
Last year my husband and I moved from Virginia, to Osprey, Florida, the state where both of us were raised, met, and married. In the summer we live in Chautauqua, New York. I'm a quilter, knitter, kayaker, and the mother of four children, whom I regard as my greatest creative endeavors. And now there are four wonderful grandchildren to spoil.
Visit me at my web site, emilierichards.com, and my blog, www.emilierichards.com/blog. You can also find me at Twitter and on my Facebook reader page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 523 reviews
November 9, 2017
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4.5 Stars!!
"When We Were Sisters" is the first book from Emile Richards that I have read, but it definitely won’t be the last. I read the description and thought it sounded like something I would enjoy reading and I was right. It didn’t take long for the story to pull me in. It kept me on my toes and held my interest throughout the entire book.
Cecilia and Robin met in a foster home when Robin was nine and Cecilia was thirteen. Right away they clicked, they filled the need for the love that they both lacked in their lives. Their relationship grew and they have grown even closer over the years. They are, “true sisters, joined at the hip and the heart”. Now years later, these sisters are taking an emotional journey together back to their childhoods.
The book starts in present day from Robin’s point of view. After a devastating accident, Robin is re-evaluating her life. Once a busy professional photographer, she has been solely focused on her family for the last decade. Robin has begun to feel like she’s being taken for granted.
Cecilia has also had a recent incident that has caused her to take a look at her own life. Both sisters at a point in their lives where they realize that there may still be some demons they need to face from their past.
They will be working on a documentary about Cecilia’s personal life growing up in the foster care system and her subsequent rise to fame as a famous singer/songwriter. Cecilia wants Robin with her, on this journey as her photographer and for emotional support. For Robin this opportunity to dust off her camera and take some time for herself couldn’t have come at a better time.
This story is about much more than the making of a documentary.
“Love and loyalty made them sisters. Secrets could still destroy them.”
The author knows her stuff. Although it’s a fictional story I still learned a lot about how the foster system works (and doesn’t work) for foster children, both then and now. How things like the government, policies, funding, and so much more is behind how the system is run. I’ve always wondered how often is a child taken out of one bad situation and put into another. But there are also many good people who truly want to help children.
I enjoyed how the story was told from multiple points of view. It was very emotional. I cared about all of the characters and liked knowing what they were thinking and feeling. The relationships felt quite realistic in many ways. I think the author did a great job of showing the different relationships and the challenges that come along with them.
Although some of the subject matter is sensitive and hard to read at times, the author does a great job of helping the reader understand the experience and feel for the characters, without going overboard on the details.
A wonderful story about secrets, family, love, loss, strength and forgiveness.
I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more from Emilie Richards.
4.5 Stars!!
"When We Were Sisters" is the first book from Emile Richards that I have read, but it definitely won’t be the last. I read the description and thought it sounded like something I would enjoy reading and I was right. It didn’t take long for the story to pull me in. It kept me on my toes and held my interest throughout the entire book.
Cecilia and Robin met in a foster home when Robin was nine and Cecilia was thirteen. Right away they clicked, they filled the need for the love that they both lacked in their lives. Their relationship grew and they have grown even closer over the years. They are, “true sisters, joined at the hip and the heart”. Now years later, these sisters are taking an emotional journey together back to their childhoods.
The book starts in present day from Robin’s point of view. After a devastating accident, Robin is re-evaluating her life. Once a busy professional photographer, she has been solely focused on her family for the last decade. Robin has begun to feel like she’s being taken for granted.
Cecilia has also had a recent incident that has caused her to take a look at her own life. Both sisters at a point in their lives where they realize that there may still be some demons they need to face from their past.
They will be working on a documentary about Cecilia’s personal life growing up in the foster care system and her subsequent rise to fame as a famous singer/songwriter. Cecilia wants Robin with her, on this journey as her photographer and for emotional support. For Robin this opportunity to dust off her camera and take some time for herself couldn’t have come at a better time.
This story is about much more than the making of a documentary.
“Love and loyalty made them sisters. Secrets could still destroy them.”
The author knows her stuff. Although it’s a fictional story I still learned a lot about how the foster system works (and doesn’t work) for foster children, both then and now. How things like the government, policies, funding, and so much more is behind how the system is run. I’ve always wondered how often is a child taken out of one bad situation and put into another. But there are also many good people who truly want to help children.
I enjoyed how the story was told from multiple points of view. It was very emotional. I cared about all of the characters and liked knowing what they were thinking and feeling. The relationships felt quite realistic in many ways. I think the author did a great job of showing the different relationships and the challenges that come along with them.
Although some of the subject matter is sensitive and hard to read at times, the author does a great job of helping the reader understand the experience and feel for the characters, without going overboard on the details.
A wonderful story about secrets, family, love, loss, strength and forgiveness.
I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more from Emilie Richards.
February 17, 2017
Two little girls landed up together in the foster care system and became spiritual sisters for life. CeCe became an international music star, while Robin got married to a lawyer, had two kids, with a career as a photo journalist on hold.
CeCe's was contacted by a famous documentary movie maker to document her life. This lead to Robin getting involved while her marriage was in a rocky place, and she had the opportunity to revive her career as a photographer. While both women had issues to sort out while reuniting their memories and make sense of the past, none of them expected a deep dark secret to be exposed, which each young woman kept to herself, vowing never to be shared with anyone.
This is an amazing book. Although it has chick-lit flair to it, the story is also a profound and deeply disturbing tale of two girls who had to endure abuse, rejection, and abandonment, yet despite it all became the amazing people they were as a result of the sister-bond they formed.
I'm emotionally so moved by this story, that I actually had a little rain in my eyes after reading it. It is a beautiful, beautiful story and absolutely worth the read.
RECOMMENDED
CeCe's was contacted by a famous documentary movie maker to document her life. This lead to Robin getting involved while her marriage was in a rocky place, and she had the opportunity to revive her career as a photographer. While both women had issues to sort out while reuniting their memories and make sense of the past, none of them expected a deep dark secret to be exposed, which each young woman kept to herself, vowing never to be shared with anyone.
This is an amazing book. Although it has chick-lit flair to it, the story is also a profound and deeply disturbing tale of two girls who had to endure abuse, rejection, and abandonment, yet despite it all became the amazing people they were as a result of the sister-bond they formed.
I'm emotionally so moved by this story, that I actually had a little rain in my eyes after reading it. It is a beautiful, beautiful story and absolutely worth the read.
RECOMMENDED
February 21, 2017
This was a very slow moving read for me, almost too slow. For the first 80% of the book, things moved at a snail’s pace. We get to learn a little about the troubled past of foster sisters Cecelia and Robin, but the true guts of their history was only revealed at the very end of the book.
I liked the story, but didn’t love it. I think this is mostly because of the way the book flowed. We got bits and pieces of flashbacks, but they didn’t really tie into Cecelia and Robin’s current story enough to engage me. I was mostly interested in Robin and her husband, Kris’s troubled marriage and how that would pan out than I was about the “documentary” about their lives in foster care.
In the end, when the story reached it’s climax, I did get sucked into the story and found myself very engaged. It was a very heart wrenching story, but end of the day, I didn’t really bond with Cecelia until the very end so the story was a little lopsided for me to truly enjoy it.
I liked the story, but didn’t love it. I think this is mostly because of the way the book flowed. We got bits and pieces of flashbacks, but they didn’t really tie into Cecelia and Robin’s current story enough to engage me. I was mostly interested in Robin and her husband, Kris’s troubled marriage and how that would pan out than I was about the “documentary” about their lives in foster care.
In the end, when the story reached it’s climax, I did get sucked into the story and found myself very engaged. It was a very heart wrenching story, but end of the day, I didn’t really bond with Cecelia until the very end so the story was a little lopsided for me to truly enjoy it.
August 1, 2023
Cecilia and Robin are sisters. Maybe not in the eyes of the world, but they are in their own view. The reality is they were both foster children when they met. Robin was 9 and Cecilia 13 but Cecilia took Robin under her wing and did her best to protect her. Years later Cecelia has worked hard and become a well-known singer-songwriter. But nobody except Robin, knows the scars she carries from the past and even Robin doesn’t know all of it. Robin, on the other hand, has set aside her career to be a fulltime wife and mother but it seems lately her marriage is far from okay. She resents that Kris is never around because of work and hardly ever spends time with her or their two children Nic and Pet.
After a devastating accident that claims the life of a friend and neighbour, Robin starts to really think about her life and her marriage. Cecilia also has been reflecting on her life and there are plans to be involved in a documentary about foster children. Cecilia enlists Robin’s help but Kris, who resents Cecilia and the place she has in Robin’s heart, is less than impressed. Tension is high.
This story, which is told from the points of view of Cecilia, Robin and Kris, deals with a lots about family and relationships. The making of the documentary turns out to be so much more as Robin and Cecilia look back at their own past the good times together but also the harsh times that no child should ever be subjected to. Having had something to do with children in care I can say that the situations with children in foster care and the appalling lack of care and support given at times rang absolutely true.
Cecilia is a strong willed, stubborn, opinionated woman who doesn’t let people into her life easily. Robin is the exception. Robin has devoted so much time to her husband and family she has never explored her own potential. Kris, is a man driven by working all hours who thinks that is looking after his family. Through the course of events each one of these three comes to learn more about themselves and each other.
This book got me in from the start. I resented any time I had to put it t down and attend to other things. I was emotionally invested throughout, laughter, anger, outrage, tears, you name it. I travelled the whole spectrum. I absolutely loved it, even though some parts of it are hard to read as they deal with issues that, sadly, too many children have had to face in life. Emilie Richards has become a go to author for me and I highly recommend this book. It is a great exploration of characters, of love and family.
After a devastating accident that claims the life of a friend and neighbour, Robin starts to really think about her life and her marriage. Cecilia also has been reflecting on her life and there are plans to be involved in a documentary about foster children. Cecilia enlists Robin’s help but Kris, who resents Cecilia and the place she has in Robin’s heart, is less than impressed. Tension is high.
This story, which is told from the points of view of Cecilia, Robin and Kris, deals with a lots about family and relationships. The making of the documentary turns out to be so much more as Robin and Cecilia look back at their own past the good times together but also the harsh times that no child should ever be subjected to. Having had something to do with children in care I can say that the situations with children in foster care and the appalling lack of care and support given at times rang absolutely true.
Cecilia is a strong willed, stubborn, opinionated woman who doesn’t let people into her life easily. Robin is the exception. Robin has devoted so much time to her husband and family she has never explored her own potential. Kris, is a man driven by working all hours who thinks that is looking after his family. Through the course of events each one of these three comes to learn more about themselves and each other.
This book got me in from the start. I resented any time I had to put it t down and attend to other things. I was emotionally invested throughout, laughter, anger, outrage, tears, you name it. I travelled the whole spectrum. I absolutely loved it, even though some parts of it are hard to read as they deal with issues that, sadly, too many children have had to face in life. Emilie Richards has become a go to author for me and I highly recommend this book. It is a great exploration of characters, of love and family.
June 2, 2017
The story of two women who grew up in the Foster Care system, this book borders on chic lit, but is a tad better. I liked all the characters, it was just a bit predictable.
December 5, 2021
Dec. 5 2021
It still grabbed me and wouldn't let go...
Wow... What a truly powerful story.
2016
I have to admit that I love reading Emilie Richards stories. I have loved all the series (including her cozy mysteries). And as with all the authors that I really enjoy I figure there will eventually be a story that I do no like as much or cannot connect to. THIS wasn't it.
I had felt when I read what the story was about that I might not quite GET this book as I consider my childhood as very happy. But to write this novel off as being about two girls that had a horrendous childhood and stuck who together as "sisters" would do THIS story a disservice. Oh, it was shown that childhood is important, and that it can (and does) build the character that one will become as an adult--and the story was so much more...
The author can and does characterize beautifully. I could feel what each and everyone of her characters felt...and agree with the feelings. Which makes this story sound foreseeable. All I can say is that it was... but it really wasn't. This sounds crazy but is true.
I hate noticable "preaching" in a story. I realize that the author wanted to make a point and in my opinion she was able to without preaching. The worse part of this book is that it lingers. And it is going to make it really hard to get into another novel, no matter how good that novel will be.
It still grabbed me and wouldn't let go...
Wow... What a truly powerful story.
2016
I have to admit that I love reading Emilie Richards stories. I have loved all the series (including her cozy mysteries). And as with all the authors that I really enjoy I figure there will eventually be a story that I do no like as much or cannot connect to. THIS wasn't it.
I had felt when I read what the story was about that I might not quite GET this book as I consider my childhood as very happy. But to write this novel off as being about two girls that had a horrendous childhood and stuck who together as "sisters" would do THIS story a disservice. Oh, it was shown that childhood is important, and that it can (and does) build the character that one will become as an adult--and the story was so much more...
The author can and does characterize beautifully. I could feel what each and everyone of her characters felt...and agree with the feelings. Which makes this story sound foreseeable. All I can say is that it was... but it really wasn't. This sounds crazy but is true.
I hate noticable "preaching" in a story. I realize that the author wanted to make a point and in my opinion she was able to without preaching. The worse part of this book is that it lingers. And it is going to make it really hard to get into another novel, no matter how good that novel will be.
June 11, 2019
RATING: 3.5 STARS
2016; Mira/HarperCollins
When We Were Sisters is told from three point of views - Robin, her husband, Kris, and her foster sister, Cecelia. Robin and Cecelia have been sisters since they met in a foster home. Both were abandoned by their families and had no one to turn to but each other. Robin's husband Kris works all the time and she finds herself holding her family together. After almost dying in a car accident Robin starts to wonder if she needs more in her life. Cecelia has a perfect plan - come work on a documentary about foster care. When Kris balks at the idea of taking care of his children and working less Robin is only more determined to go. The question they both ask themselves is..."what will be left when Robin comes home?"
Right off I did not care for Kris and was greatly annoyed with his attitude towards his family. As the story progressed I began to respect him as he started to learn what was important to him. I think Robin was not as honest with Kris as he was with her. I also enjoyed the story line and relationship between Cecelia and Robin but I found at times it went on a bit too long. I think those parts of the story could have been edited a bit further. I did enjoy the book and recommend it to those who like contemporary fiction.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
My Novelesque Blog
2016; Mira/HarperCollins
When We Were Sisters is told from three point of views - Robin, her husband, Kris, and her foster sister, Cecelia. Robin and Cecelia have been sisters since they met in a foster home. Both were abandoned by their families and had no one to turn to but each other. Robin's husband Kris works all the time and she finds herself holding her family together. After almost dying in a car accident Robin starts to wonder if she needs more in her life. Cecelia has a perfect plan - come work on a documentary about foster care. When Kris balks at the idea of taking care of his children and working less Robin is only more determined to go. The question they both ask themselves is..."what will be left when Robin comes home?"
Right off I did not care for Kris and was greatly annoyed with his attitude towards his family. As the story progressed I began to respect him as he started to learn what was important to him. I think Robin was not as honest with Kris as he was with her. I also enjoyed the story line and relationship between Cecelia and Robin but I found at times it went on a bit too long. I think those parts of the story could have been edited a bit further. I did enjoy the book and recommend it to those who like contemporary fiction.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
My Novelesque Blog
May 31, 2016
A special thank you to Mira and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Emilie Richards returns following The Color of Light (2015) with her latest standalone, WHEN WE WERE SISTERS, another emotional Journey into the lives of women one story at a time-- two foster sisters, united in love and secrets.
“The stories of our lives can be told in so many ways, but no one account, no matter how carefully rendered, is completely true.”
Foster sisters: Robin and Cecilia. They do not share a single gene; however, they are honest-to-God sisters, right down to their bone marrow.
Robin Home is Leesburg, Virginia. Married to Kris for thirteen years. A patch of earth, her refuge and center. She has friends; however, she is the only woman in the neighborhood who grew up without a real home or family.
Cecilia her foster sister —a superstar singer-songwriter, her anchor. Robin hides her emotions. She is almost killed in a car accident—three women; her friend and neighbor, Talya died instantly, after they had changed seats.
Love and loyalty made them sisters. Secrets could still destroy them.
Cecilia is on her way to the hospital after she was called as an emergency contact. Years ago, she was thirteen when Robin and she became sisters. Robin was nine. Cecilia share so much with her audience. She is loved for her energy and ability to make her fans feel as if they know her. But of course, they do not know her at all.
Two years earlier, a film producer contacted her. He was doing a documentary on the foster care system and was looking for someone to narrate—someone famous. He wanted a celebrity who had been a foster child, someone to convey what the experience was like from a child’s point of view—how they can triumph.
Donny her manager wants it to be her decision. She turned it down initially; however, now, she has reconsidered and wants Robin to do it with her. She wants Robin to be the production stills photography. They would need photos for publicity and the book.
Cecilia has four homes —Manhattan, Nashville, California, and Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida, which is her favorite. Married once and quickly divorced from a country singer. She seems to have it all from fame, money, and beauty. However, she has nightmares and panic attacks. What is she hiding?
Years ago, Robin’s grandmother had just died, and her mother had vanished before she was two. She went into foster care. She had become mute. Selective mutism. She was painfully shy and terrified of new situations, wanting to escape her daily life. She slowly began to speak again. Cecilia saw a project in Robin that might have a happy ending.
Robin’s life has revolved around her children and her attorney husband which is not home very often—a marriage on the rocks--she put her photography business on hold. Presently, he will have to take over while she is working with Cecilia. Cecilia has to go back and confront her demons and possibly Robin as well. However, Cecilia often avoids the truth and tells lies without guilt. A man had died.
Two sisters protecting one another, young and heartbroken – they watched out for one another. Alternating narratives from Robin, and Cecilia, two foster sisters, and Kris, Robin’s husband.
As the documentary “At the Mercy of Strangers” unfolds, old secrets are revealed in order for healing to begin. Sometimes you have to re-visit your past in order to move on with your future.
One of my all-time favorite Southern authors, (have read all her books) Emilie Richards has a unique way of storytelling, tacking highly-charged topics with finely tuned research, sensitivity, and compassion.
Told with lots of heart and soul, an insightful look into the foster care system, family, and triumph over tragedy. Shared memories, some of abandonment, rejection, and terror at the mercy of strangers- on their way to happiness and fulfillment.
JDCMustReadBooks
Emilie Richards returns following The Color of Light (2015) with her latest standalone, WHEN WE WERE SISTERS, another emotional Journey into the lives of women one story at a time-- two foster sisters, united in love and secrets.
“The stories of our lives can be told in so many ways, but no one account, no matter how carefully rendered, is completely true.”
Foster sisters: Robin and Cecilia. They do not share a single gene; however, they are honest-to-God sisters, right down to their bone marrow.
Robin Home is Leesburg, Virginia. Married to Kris for thirteen years. A patch of earth, her refuge and center. She has friends; however, she is the only woman in the neighborhood who grew up without a real home or family.
Cecilia her foster sister —a superstar singer-songwriter, her anchor. Robin hides her emotions. She is almost killed in a car accident—three women; her friend and neighbor, Talya died instantly, after they had changed seats.
Love and loyalty made them sisters. Secrets could still destroy them.
Cecilia is on her way to the hospital after she was called as an emergency contact. Years ago, she was thirteen when Robin and she became sisters. Robin was nine. Cecilia share so much with her audience. She is loved for her energy and ability to make her fans feel as if they know her. But of course, they do not know her at all.
Two years earlier, a film producer contacted her. He was doing a documentary on the foster care system and was looking for someone to narrate—someone famous. He wanted a celebrity who had been a foster child, someone to convey what the experience was like from a child’s point of view—how they can triumph.
Donny her manager wants it to be her decision. She turned it down initially; however, now, she has reconsidered and wants Robin to do it with her. She wants Robin to be the production stills photography. They would need photos for publicity and the book.
Cecilia has four homes —Manhattan, Nashville, California, and Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida, which is her favorite. Married once and quickly divorced from a country singer. She seems to have it all from fame, money, and beauty. However, she has nightmares and panic attacks. What is she hiding?
Years ago, Robin’s grandmother had just died, and her mother had vanished before she was two. She went into foster care. She had become mute. Selective mutism. She was painfully shy and terrified of new situations, wanting to escape her daily life. She slowly began to speak again. Cecilia saw a project in Robin that might have a happy ending.
Robin’s life has revolved around her children and her attorney husband which is not home very often—a marriage on the rocks--she put her photography business on hold. Presently, he will have to take over while she is working with Cecilia. Cecilia has to go back and confront her demons and possibly Robin as well. However, Cecilia often avoids the truth and tells lies without guilt. A man had died.
Two sisters protecting one another, young and heartbroken – they watched out for one another. Alternating narratives from Robin, and Cecilia, two foster sisters, and Kris, Robin’s husband.
As the documentary “At the Mercy of Strangers” unfolds, old secrets are revealed in order for healing to begin. Sometimes you have to re-visit your past in order to move on with your future.
One of my all-time favorite Southern authors, (have read all her books) Emilie Richards has a unique way of storytelling, tacking highly-charged topics with finely tuned research, sensitivity, and compassion.
Told with lots of heart and soul, an insightful look into the foster care system, family, and triumph over tragedy. Shared memories, some of abandonment, rejection, and terror at the mercy of strangers- on their way to happiness and fulfillment.
JDCMustReadBooks
November 18, 2022
4 1/2 stars. Moving story about 2 girls in foster care that became sisters of the heart. The hell they went through, with a few surprises. Their current lives, and an unusual way to face the past. Great characters. My favorite kind of story. One of my favorite authors, Diane Chamberlain recommends this book. I’m excited to read more of this author’s work.
February 27, 2017
Not a bad book, but it just seemed to go on for about 100 pages too long.
June 1, 2016
Emilie Richards has again written a story that held me enthralled all the way through. I read it slowly because I wanted to linger and be with the characters in their struggles to sort through their lives and see what they truly valued and wanted. It is a powerful story, with complex characters - with two women, while meeting in the foster care system are truly sisters. The only part I hated was the end. No the ending of the story was fine - I just wanted it to go on and on!
Cecilia and Robin met in a foster care home and bonded. Cecilia was older and always looked out for Robin. Yet when we meet them they are adults and going about their lives - not always though with peace and happiness. Robin is a mother of two and wife to husband Kris. She is at a point in her life when she wants to be more. She has that need I think we all have, to have a creative purpose in life that tests our own unique passion and skill set. For Robin that is photography. As the story opens she is making a stand for herself.
Kris her husband is very unavailable - a lawyer who at this point in his life is working hard to keep his family well cared for in monetary terms. However he is missing out on family life and giving them what they really need - himself. How he develops over the story is interesting and I liked how eventually he chooses what was most important for him.
Cecilia is a very successful singer/song writer, famous and rich. Yet apart from Robin she really holds people at arm's length and doesn't let them in. She likes to be in control, but that is all about to change. Mick a documentary film maker has asked Cecilia to work with him on her experience in the foster care system. As well Robin comes along as the stills photographer on set.
The story is told in the first person from three points of view - Cecilia, Robin and Kris. I really liked this because each narrator does not see what is exactly going on in the others, yet we the readers do. It made me think of how quick I might be to judge something or someone, without really knowing what is going on for them.
As the movie is made Cecilia and Robin bond in a new way as they re-experience the past. In facing the past, feelings are explored and revelations made. Some I saw coming - some I didn't. These two women are courageous and in the exploration healing happens.
I loved the main characters and the minor ones. Each had their part to play and enriched the experience. I think especially of Hayley, a young girl in the foster care system, Roscoe a dog in need of rescue, Robin and Kris' children, well just about each one of them - good or bad - made this novel what it is.
Secrets, lies, guilt, hard heartedness, cruelty and deep hurt on one hand, - revelation, love, forgiveness, standing for self, owning the real self and trust - on the other. And very importantly - the rights of children to safety, care and love. The kind of book I totally love, placing it on my Keeper's Shelf!
Cecilia and Robin met in a foster care home and bonded. Cecilia was older and always looked out for Robin. Yet when we meet them they are adults and going about their lives - not always though with peace and happiness. Robin is a mother of two and wife to husband Kris. She is at a point in her life when she wants to be more. She has that need I think we all have, to have a creative purpose in life that tests our own unique passion and skill set. For Robin that is photography. As the story opens she is making a stand for herself.
Kris her husband is very unavailable - a lawyer who at this point in his life is working hard to keep his family well cared for in monetary terms. However he is missing out on family life and giving them what they really need - himself. How he develops over the story is interesting and I liked how eventually he chooses what was most important for him.
Cecilia is a very successful singer/song writer, famous and rich. Yet apart from Robin she really holds people at arm's length and doesn't let them in. She likes to be in control, but that is all about to change. Mick a documentary film maker has asked Cecilia to work with him on her experience in the foster care system. As well Robin comes along as the stills photographer on set.
The story is told in the first person from three points of view - Cecilia, Robin and Kris. I really liked this because each narrator does not see what is exactly going on in the others, yet we the readers do. It made me think of how quick I might be to judge something or someone, without really knowing what is going on for them.
As the movie is made Cecilia and Robin bond in a new way as they re-experience the past. In facing the past, feelings are explored and revelations made. Some I saw coming - some I didn't. These two women are courageous and in the exploration healing happens.
I loved the main characters and the minor ones. Each had their part to play and enriched the experience. I think especially of Hayley, a young girl in the foster care system, Roscoe a dog in need of rescue, Robin and Kris' children, well just about each one of them - good or bad - made this novel what it is.
Secrets, lies, guilt, hard heartedness, cruelty and deep hurt on one hand, - revelation, love, forgiveness, standing for self, owning the real self and trust - on the other. And very importantly - the rights of children to safety, care and love. The kind of book I totally love, placing it on my Keeper's Shelf!
May 27, 2016
As soon as I started reading When We Were Sisters, I was immediately drawn in to the story. Both women have interesting situations to deal with from the start. Then the documentary they are working on shows what it's like to be filming over a long period of time. and all the emotional aspects that go into it. It had a realistic feel with genuine dialogue and settings that were easy to visualize. I enjoyed reading the different perspectives, including Kris' (Robin's husband). Sometimes I'd get Robin and Cecilia's narrative mixed up, but then I'd find myself back on track. The story kept me guessing. Each time I thought I had predicted what would happen, another twist got thrown in.
When We Were Sisters is a beautifully written story that proves family doesn't always have to be blood-related. It has an Iris Rainer Dart feel to it, and not only because of a red-haired famous singer named Cecilia (I believe that was Cee Cee's actual first name in Beaches).
I'd love to hear Cecilia's songs on a soundtrack. However, Emilie Richards has put together a playlist to accompany the story. Even so, I could see it as a movie and I've shared some casting choices below.
Robin: Maria Dizzia
Cecilia: Amy Adams
Donny: Sam Rockwell
Kris: Mark-Paul Gosselaar
When We Were Sisters is a beautifully written story that proves family doesn't always have to be blood-related. It has an Iris Rainer Dart feel to it, and not only because of a red-haired famous singer named Cecilia (I believe that was Cee Cee's actual first name in Beaches).
I'd love to hear Cecilia's songs on a soundtrack. However, Emilie Richards has put together a playlist to accompany the story. Even so, I could see it as a movie and I've shared some casting choices below.
Robin: Maria Dizzia
Cecilia: Amy Adams
Donny: Sam Rockwell
Kris: Mark-Paul Gosselaar
September 10, 2016
Emilie Richards has such a gift for writing about challenging social issues in a thoughtful, considerate manner. In "When We Were Sisters", she tackles the good and the bad in our current foster care system.
Cecilia and Robin met in a therapeutic foster home, and vowed to remain together, closely bonded as "sisters". They did remain together, but their next placement after the loving home they were in was a living nightmare, leaving lasting repercussions for both Cecilia and Robin. Now adults, Cecilia is a superstar pop singer, and Robin is married with two children. But their bond has never been broken and they remain close. When Cecilia is asked to be part of a documentary on the foster care system, she asks Robin to accompany them to be part of the film crew. The documentary is appropriately titled "At the Mercy of Strangers", as isn't that too often what the foster care system is. Together they must face down the demons of their past, and reconcile that past with their current relationships. Told through a tender hand, you see the strengths and vulnerabilities of both Cecilia and Robin.
Another great book by Emilie Richards.
Cecilia and Robin met in a therapeutic foster home, and vowed to remain together, closely bonded as "sisters". They did remain together, but their next placement after the loving home they were in was a living nightmare, leaving lasting repercussions for both Cecilia and Robin. Now adults, Cecilia is a superstar pop singer, and Robin is married with two children. But their bond has never been broken and they remain close. When Cecilia is asked to be part of a documentary on the foster care system, she asks Robin to accompany them to be part of the film crew. The documentary is appropriately titled "At the Mercy of Strangers", as isn't that too often what the foster care system is. Together they must face down the demons of their past, and reconcile that past with their current relationships. Told through a tender hand, you see the strengths and vulnerabilities of both Cecilia and Robin.
Another great book by Emilie Richards.
March 23, 2018
3.5 stars. This book was good. It’s about marriage and family and friends and foster children and love. The main character, Robin, is a stay at home mom and she is also the foster sister of an international pop star Cecilia. They have stayed in each other’s lives and consider themselves sisters. A car accident sets in motion an awakening in Robin and she questions her life, her marriage, and her past. Cecilia is also at a point in her life when she is ready to deal with her past in her life in foster care. The story is narrated by Robin, Cecilia, and Robin’s husband, Kris, so we get to know them all well. There was a lot to this book and I enjoyed reading it.
April 22, 2016
A moving and brilliantly written book. Emilie Richards portrays the foster system that tries, but often fails, to protect the children it serves. The two girls in book vowed to be sisters that they each never had. As adults they have gone their own ways but still remained close. While working on the documentary, the women are able to face their painful past so that they can move on. A quote from the book “My mother was sixteen when she abandoned me. You were sixteen when you refused to abandon me.” shows how much they needed each other and their devotion to each other.
When We Were Sisters represents a side of foster care/children. This book in no way bashes foster care or the system failures. Just depicts one case where there was a failure. A statement from the book describing what living in foster care is like - “At the mercy of strangers” - still floats in my head. The book demonstrates the importance of protecting children and to make sure that the systems in place are operating the way they must. I think it was written with genuine care to the characters and to the foster system. It is also a story of love, family, pain, heartbreak, and healing. It is very thought provoking.This is a five-star review for me because I’m still processing the book weeks later and the impact it has had on me.
"I received an advance copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review."
When We Were Sisters represents a side of foster care/children. This book in no way bashes foster care or the system failures. Just depicts one case where there was a failure. A statement from the book describing what living in foster care is like - “At the mercy of strangers” - still floats in my head. The book demonstrates the importance of protecting children and to make sure that the systems in place are operating the way they must. I think it was written with genuine care to the characters and to the foster system. It is also a story of love, family, pain, heartbreak, and healing. It is very thought provoking.This is a five-star review for me because I’m still processing the book weeks later and the impact it has had on me.
"I received an advance copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review."
May 31, 2016
Lovingly written, this book gives you a glimpse of the foster care system, where two sisters of the heart keep in touch and remain friends as adults. Cecelia met Robin in a foster care home when they were 13 and 9, respectively. Cecelia took Robin under her wing and together they pulled each other through many challenges and struggles. This story takes place nearly 30 years later. They explore their past through the making of a documentary about the system. I love how the chapters switch between Cecelia, Robin, and Robin's husband, Kris. Each of them are able to take you through what they think and feel, and the reader gradually gets to know each of them, which I believe is a very important aspect of this story. The author wrote this with a lot of heart, and I felt that care and understanding of the characters with every page. [I received an advance copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.]
November 25, 2016
Wow - I got this book from the library, and didn't start it right away, but I couldn't put it down once I did begin reading. Very powerful story about two women who survived the foster care system as sisters, and how they helped each other cope with the terrible stuff they went through. Disturbing, and hopeful. Uplifting. The story is written with a chapter from each sister's point of view, and a few chapters written from the younger sister's husband's perspective. This was the first book I've read by this author, but I am sure not my last book - she gave me lots to think about. This is one of my new favorites.
September 7, 2018
I like just about any book, but this was not a good one. I’m shocked at the good reviews. I made myself finish it. I may have rolled my eyes 100 times while listening. The dialogue wasn’t realistic, and it was super annoying how the main character always said, “my husband,” “my daughter,” “my sister,”...instead of their names or pronouns. When she spoke of the two years of hell working on a family farm as a foster child, she pretty much explained most children’s lives on a farm. It was hard work, and it probably helped shape who she is. I kept waiting to hear how she was terribly abused or beaten. She really was whiny, and I don’t tolerate whiny well. Liked her sister much more.
May 13, 2016
Thanks to Emilie for this copy in exchange for a review!
Great story that tells that family is who we make it, not always blood.
Great story that tells that family is who we make it, not always blood.
November 20, 2017
Emilie Richards "When We Were Strangers" touches even the hardest of hearts even if you have no knowledge of the foster care system and its children. After a tragic accident for one and a nervous breakdown for the other, Robin and CeCe return to their childhood in the foster care system and are reminded of happy times, sad times, and times they would rather forget but can't as they forge ahead on this journey of discovery. Sisters, who are "joined at the hip and joined at the heart," share an incredible life together-- both then and now.
September 3, 2017
This story, on the surface, is about foster children and their experiences. Go deeper and you will find a story about a marriage and how it has nearly gone off the rails when the spouses have stopped really sharing with each other--their responsibilities, as well as their emotions. First, when Robin nearly dies in a car accident and later, when the person she calls her sister offers her an opportunity to restart her photojournalism career. That sister, Cecelia, is now a famous actress-singer, but her past still controls many of her reactions to the present, particularly as it relates to men. A central question as we cheer her on is will she see when she needs to open herself to the possibilities of love, or will she allow her fears prevent her from doing so?
Additionally, this story is about deeply-held secrets that gradually come to light with no expectation that in doing so, something good will happen. These two women, sisters of the heart, who found each other as foster children, survived horrors that are mostly hidden from others, but gradually are revealed as they work to create a documentary film about foster care. Their intent is to show how children must be protected, how--too often--they are not. In doing so, they have to peel off the layers of protection they created for each other to avoid the horrors that are finally revealed and how each never knew all the experiences that each endured.
This is not a story for the faint-hearted, or those who prefer to read stories that move easily from not-so-difficult problems to happily-ever-afters. Yes, things end better than they began, but not without raising issues that all who care about children and how they are raised--in their own homes, or in the homes of foster parents or group homes. For me, it was a home run in all its aspects.
Additionally, this story is about deeply-held secrets that gradually come to light with no expectation that in doing so, something good will happen. These two women, sisters of the heart, who found each other as foster children, survived horrors that are mostly hidden from others, but gradually are revealed as they work to create a documentary film about foster care. Their intent is to show how children must be protected, how--too often--they are not. In doing so, they have to peel off the layers of protection they created for each other to avoid the horrors that are finally revealed and how each never knew all the experiences that each endured.
This is not a story for the faint-hearted, or those who prefer to read stories that move easily from not-so-difficult problems to happily-ever-afters. Yes, things end better than they began, but not without raising issues that all who care about children and how they are raised--in their own homes, or in the homes of foster parents or group homes. For me, it was a home run in all its aspects.
February 21, 2016
I was fortunate to be able to read this novel in an ARC (advance reader's copy) edition. This novel is a departure from Richards recent series "The Goddess Anonymous". Plot centers around two "sisters" raised in foster care, Cecilia and Robin. Cecilia and Robin stay together through two foster placements which is unusual. The novel opens in their adult lives when Cecilia surprises Robin with a visit. Cecilia has become a famous singer/songwriter. Robin was a photojournalist before marrying and raising her family.
Cecilia 's visit has an ulterior motive. She is working with a documentary filmmaker to explore her survival of the foster care system. Her goal is to change the system with this film. Cecilia's "surprise" visit has an another purpose. She wants Robin to be the photographer for the film.
Robin's decision to accompany her sister and revisit her past sends her family into a tailspin. Her workaholic husband must step up and parent his two children, age 14 and 11.
I devoured this book. Thoroughly enjoyed being on Cecilia and Robin's journey as they conquered their past to pave the road for a stronger future. Exposure of the foster care system was deftly handled. Richards has a knack for delving into difficult topics with a compassionate approach that grants the reader a new understanding of a sensitive topic.
Cecilia 's visit has an ulterior motive. She is working with a documentary filmmaker to explore her survival of the foster care system. Her goal is to change the system with this film. Cecilia's "surprise" visit has an another purpose. She wants Robin to be the photographer for the film.
Robin's decision to accompany her sister and revisit her past sends her family into a tailspin. Her workaholic husband must step up and parent his two children, age 14 and 11.
I devoured this book. Thoroughly enjoyed being on Cecilia and Robin's journey as they conquered their past to pave the road for a stronger future. Exposure of the foster care system was deftly handled. Richards has a knack for delving into difficult topics with a compassionate approach that grants the reader a new understanding of a sensitive topic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2016
I won an ARC copy from the goodreads giveaways. "When We Were Sisters" is focused on three main characters. Each Character takes turns telling their story. Cecilia and Robin lived in the foster care system as kids. They ended up in the same foster home when Cecelia was 14 and Robin was nine. Kris is Robins' husband. The book starts when Robin is in a serious car accident. she could have died but survived when she traded spots in the car with a woman who ended up dying in the accident.
Cecilia went on to be a famous singer. Robin became a successful photographer. Cecilia known as "Cece" to Robin wants to do a documentary on her life and her time in the foster care system and wants Robin to go with her to be the photographer. The project will take months as Cece plans on going to the different foster homes she was in including the two she and Robin were living. Each character take turns telling their views on what happened over the years. The final chapters tell a lot of what happened those few years as kids. some are secrets kept all these years. I liked this book. Good story line had me wanted to find out what happened to these women all those years ago. the sisterhood they created that stayed with them all these years later. I liked reading more from Cecilia's and Robin's point of view. I found Kris Robin's husband less interesting. Good novel.
Cecilia went on to be a famous singer. Robin became a successful photographer. Cecilia known as "Cece" to Robin wants to do a documentary on her life and her time in the foster care system and wants Robin to go with her to be the photographer. The project will take months as Cece plans on going to the different foster homes she was in including the two she and Robin were living. Each character take turns telling their views on what happened over the years. The final chapters tell a lot of what happened those few years as kids. some are secrets kept all these years. I liked this book. Good story line had me wanted to find out what happened to these women all those years ago. the sisterhood they created that stayed with them all these years later. I liked reading more from Cecilia's and Robin's point of view. I found Kris Robin's husband less interesting. Good novel.
June 28, 2023
What a wonderful story of two women who look back at their childhood in the foster care system. Robin and Cecilia shared foster homes growing up and as adults they are still closer than most sisters. Cecilia is a famous singer and Robin gave up a career as a photojournalist to marry and have a family. Cecilia is part of a documentary on the foster care system and wants Robin to join the crew. It will be a severe test of Robin's marriage but she thinks her husband needs a wake up call. Keep the Kleenex box handy because their story is most likely true to real life. I loved Robin and Cecilia and wish they lived close by, they are fascinating. Emilie Richards has written more than 50 books and I've read a few of them. None has been this intense or real. I'd love to read more like this story.
January 22, 2017
I found the storyline interesting at first, but then it started to drag. I ended up skipping a lot in the middle to get to the end.
May 9, 2024
A touching story of two sisters united by their shared experiences in the foster care system.
Cecelia is now an internationally known rock star, and Robin is a stay-at-home mother, who has put aside her photography career, for her husband and two children.
When an opportunity arises, after a car accident, Robin becomes involved in a documentary with her foster sister, Cecelia, retracing some of the experiences of their (and other) care in a system that doesn't always protects those they serve.
Some secrets will come out in this odyssey; some relationships will be tested, and some moments will be heart-wrenching. Will there be a happily-ever-after for either or both of them? Definitely worth the read.
Cecelia is now an internationally known rock star, and Robin is a stay-at-home mother, who has put aside her photography career, for her husband and two children.
When an opportunity arises, after a car accident, Robin becomes involved in a documentary with her foster sister, Cecelia, retracing some of the experiences of their (and other) care in a system that doesn't always protects those they serve.
Some secrets will come out in this odyssey; some relationships will be tested, and some moments will be heart-wrenching. Will there be a happily-ever-after for either or both of them? Definitely worth the read.
December 25, 2020
Honestly, I rate this book 3.5 stars. It is told from the point of view of 3 characters, I think it should have been either many more or just the two sisters. Robin’s husband and the strain of her marriage when she ups and leaves for a career opportunity was too long to be tangential and not interesting enough to be as detailed. This book could have been written in 100 pages less for sure. But, the characters were developed but not enough for the reader to start predicting even though the book was predicatTable. The story line was creative and I learned about the foster care system and it’s woes.
October 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this novel about two ladies named Cecilia and Robin who were foster sisters. It chronicles their lives through the lens of Robin, a photographer enlisted to work on a documentary that her sister Cecilia, a modern-day musical diva wants to star in and produce. The novel also weaves in the points of view of Robin’s husband Kris, their children Nic and Petra as well as Cecilia’s manager-turned-romantic partner Donny. This book is quite critical of the current foster care system and is not at all kind to the worst foster parents, Jud and Betty Osburn.
December 23, 2023
Spoiler: this book has all the feels. Be ready to cry and to be frustrated. Having been a teacher of young children, we never truly know the lives they have away from the school building. For some children, school is their safe-haven. This book made me wonder what secrets some of my kids were keeping.
May 7, 2025
Wow. This book has all the elements. Thought provoking, emotional, even a love story or two. I learned a lot and have a new appreciation for the foster system and all who help children through it.
I laughed and cried. It’s been a long time since I rated a book a 5. This one is deserving.
I laughed and cried. It’s been a long time since I rated a book a 5. This one is deserving.
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