The Other Sister

Return to Troublesome Gulch #1

by Lynda Sandoval

Years after a prom-night accident claimed hisbest friend, Brody Austin decided it was time tostop running—and return to Troublesome Gulch,Colorado, to overcome the pain and guilt. Rightaway, a chance encounter on the ski slopesbrought Brody face-to-face with his best friend'skid sister, Faith Montesantos. Boy, was she allgrown up! And, yes, the vivacious high schoolguidance counselor still missed the older sistershe'd lost, but she chose to focus on the joyfulmemories of their short time together—andseemed determined to teach Brody to do thesame. He had hoped to conquer the demons of his past, but in Faith he found the key to his future.…

Genres: Romance

243 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

**Since I'm intimately familiar with the blood, sweat, and tears that go into producing a book, I will only be listing my 4-and 5-star reads. We don't all like the same fare (as is evidenced by some of the Goodreads ratings on my own work!), so if I don't love a book, you won't see it on my page. I'm not interested in bashing anyone else's creative efforts or negatively influencing anyone's reading choices. This is PURELY my choice, and how you review is up to you. On with the bio.**

Lynda Sandoval is a former police officer-turned fiction writer with 22 published (or soon to be published) books to her credit. She's written women's fiction and nonfiction for HarperCollins Rayo; romance for Silhouette Special Edition; a romantic novella for Avon A; and young adult novels and novellas for Simon & Schuster and Houghton Mifflin. She launched her career with five award-winning books for Kensington Bouquet and Pinnacle Encanto, and her popular nonfiction text published by Gryphon Books for Writers, True Blue: An Insider's Guide to Street Cops—For Writers, is still selling strong.

Lynda also works half-time as an emergency 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Fire/EMS Department, teaches writing for Long Ridge Writer's Group, volunteers at a GLBTQ youth center and speaks regularly to book groups and clubs.

Lynda's Awards:

Look of Love/Pinnacle Encanto/1999
~~2000 Rising Star award

One and Only/Pinnacle Encanto/2001
~~4-1/2 star Gold Medal Top Pick in Romantic Times
~~2002 Golden Quill Award, Short Contemporary

Thief of Hearts/Pinnacle Encanto/2001
~~2003 Colorado Romance Writers' Keeper Award
~~2002 Beacon Award, Long Contemporary
~~Finalist, 2002 Booksellers' Best Contest, Long Contemporary
~~Finalist, 2002 Golden Quill award, Long Contemporary

Unsettling/HarperCollins Rayo/2004
~~2005 Write Touch Readers' Award, Mainstream Fiction
~~2005 Laurie Award of Excellence, Single Title Fiction
~~2005 The Lories, Mainstream Fiction
~~2005 The Lories, Best of the Best Published
~~2005 Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence, Mainstream Fiction
~~2nd place, 2005 More than Magic Award, Mainstream Fiction
~~2nd place, 2005 Beacon Award, Mainstream Fiction
~~Finalist, 2005 Golden Quill Award, Mainstream Fiction
~~Finalist, 2005 Aspen Gold Award, Single Title Fiction
~~Finalist, 2005 National Readers' Choice Award, Single Title Fiction

And Then There Were Three/Silhouette Special Edition/2004
~~Two weeks on the Waldenbooks Series Bestsellers' List, peaking at #3
~~2nd place, 2005 The Lories, Long Contemporary
~~Finalist, 2005 Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence, Long Contemporary
~~Finalist, 2005 Orange Rose Award, Long Contemporary

One Perfect Man/Silhouette Special Edition/2004
~~2005 Holt Medallion, Long Contemporary
~~2005 Write Touch Readers' Award, Long Contemporary
~~3rd place, 2005 More than Magic Award, Long Contemporary
~~Honorable Mention, 2005 Barclay Gold Award, Long Contemporary
~~Finalist, 2005 Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence, Long Contemporary

Who's Your Daddy?/Simon Pulse/2004
~~Finalist, Colorado Endowment for the Humanities's Colorado Book Award, Young Adult Literature
~~2007 Evergreen Young Adult Book Award nominee
~~2005 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers
~~2005 New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age
~~2005 National Readers' Choice Award, Young Adult Literature
~~2005 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Young Adult Literature

Chicks Ahoy/Simon Pulse/2005
~~2006 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers
~~2006 Books that Kids Love and Parents Hate, Cleveland Public Library System

The Other Sister/Silhouette Special Edition/2007
~~Nominee, 2007 Romantic Times BOOKCLUB Best Special Edition of the Year
~~Borders Group/Waldenbooks Series Romance Bestseller

www.LyndaSandoval.com

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a decade of avoiding everything that reminded him of Mick, Brody Austin decided to come back to Troublesome Gulch (pretty weird name for a town :-) ) to face his demons. On prom night eleven years ago, he and his best friend Michelle (who hated that name and answered to Mick) together with 3 other couples, were in a nasty accident. 4 of them died, Mick included. Brody never really forgave himself for "forcing" Mick to go and he's pretty sure Mick's family would blame him. Of course, he's wrong. Not only do Mick's parents think of him as a son, but there's Faith, the little sister, that makes him hope and feel.

Faith learned to deal with her sister's death, she's happy now. The only thing that's missing is a man with whom she could share her life with. And then, after a nasty fall, Brody comes along. There's just something about him that makes it hard to resist falling for him.

I like the story, there's no angst or drama, just two people who overcame the tragedy that shaped their lives and fell in love. Of course there are some issues, Brody's guilt being the main one.

The secondary characters are good, especially Herman (the old guy that sold his house to Brody) and Jason (a kid from an abusive home that Faith is trying to help).

I loved the way Brody proposed. :-)

The only scene that bothered me is the first time they made love, it was just weird that they talked about Mick, at least it was to me

And I hate the title - it's just wrong, and for me makes a negative impression - The Other Sister.

Rating:

4 stars

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Other Sister despite the title and the town name Troublesome Gulch.

Brody returns to town to be a paramedic, almost eleven years after a tragedy on prom night that left four dead and four lives changed. Brody lost his best friend Mick and never got over it instead he ran from the guilt to the army and other places and never confronted it, but now he's back. He feels that Mick's family may blame him since he took Mick with him and she didn't survive when she was one of the best people in the world.

Faith was Mick's baby sister. She lost her way a little bit after her sister's death but got her life on track and now is a guidance counselor at the school. She has reconciled herself to her sister being gone in body and not in spirit and tries to live life to the fullest to honour her, so she tries skiing and falls down and Brody sees her, for a moment he thinks she is Mick.

Faith was a good character, she was full of life, zest and caring and took Brody in the fold. She took over decorating his place and made him see no-one blamed him. I liked the writing it was fast and not morose.

Brody did have his issues to deal with which he had been putting off for years so when he saw his growing feeling for Faith he did panic a bit.

The book setup the stories for the other people affected by the tragedy.

[Coral · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accidentally read this series out of order but they work as standalones. This author always does a great job of touching my emotions even in these shorter books.

[Desi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leído Enero 2014

Me gustó muucho!! buenos personajes y buena trama

[Tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I loved this book immensely, why? This book is all about emotions, acceptance, healing and most of all faith. Faith in getting over your pain, meeting someone else to share your soul with despite your previous loss.

Brody has just returned to TG after leaving years ago after a terrible accident on prom night, where his best friend Michelle aka Mick was killed. When he returns as a paramedic, he meets Faith and thinks she is Mick. Only thing she is not Mick, she is Mick's little bookworm sister, who has apparently turned into a little goddess similar to Mick.

When Mick falls in love with Brody and helps him out, he appreciates it greatly. He's been having sexual feelings for her since he saw her. Yet Brody isn't a healed man, he is still grieving and hurting over Mick's death. Will he realize what he has in the 'now' before he loses everything he has and Faith?