Her Sister's Secret: The Summer of '66

by Jan Baynham

Another wonderful sixties saga from the author of Her Mother's Secret.

How far would you travel to find the truth?
It’s the 1960s and Jennifer Howells is a young woman with the world at her feet, just on the cusp of leaving her Welsh village for an exciting life in the city.
Then the contents of an inconspicuous brown envelope turn Jennifer’s world upside down. The discovery leaves her spiralling, unsure who she is. Overnight, Miss Goody Two Shoes is replaced by a mini-skirted wild child who lives for parties and rock’n’roll.
But Jennifer’s experience with the excesses of sixties’ culture leaves her no closer to her true identity. She soon realises she’ll have to travel further – first to Cardiff, then across the ocean to Sicily – if she wants to find out who she really is ...

Genres: Historical Fiction

461 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2020

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young teenage Rose Howells was fighting against her father’s strictness in the 1940s when she began work at the Hall and made friends with Maisie. Soon she was meeting a young man after work, arriving home later than she should and fighting with her Father constantly. After one particularly bad shouting match, Rose ran away to her Aunt Edie’s – her mother, Violet’s sister. Her pregnancy, subsequent birth of her baby girl and giving her away lead us to the 1960s when a young teenage Jennifer was almost finished school and heading for college.

Jennifer’s discovery of an envelope with papers that threw her into a sense of confusion and anger, meant she was fighting with her father, heading out to parties with her friends and upsetting her mam. Once again history repeated itself when Jennifer ran away to Aunt Edie’s, where she proceeded to give her as much information as she could – which wasn’t a lot. Jennifer was determined to find out who she really was, who her parents were. It would mean plans changing, but she had to do it before she could settle into her future.

Her Sister’s Secret by Jan Baynham is a fascinating, intriguing historical novel involving two women who both found themselves at odds with their father and the life they’d been living. Rose and Jennifer lived in two separate times, and there was much hurt and anger within the family. The threads of their lives ebbed and flowed, with heartache and love, grievances and regret all part of the family dynamics. I thoroughly enjoyed my first read by this author and will definitely read more. Highly recommended.

With thanks to ChocLit Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and read it in one day. This is a story in 3 parts. First we have Rose pregnant at 18 and to an Italian prisoner of war after WW2. She goes to a nunnery but instead of giving the baby up for adoption leaves her with her mother and runs away. The next part is 18 years later and the daughter Jennifer finds out about her real parentage and then 3rd part is how it all comes together. All the characters are well formed and interesting. There’s a couple of sub plots such as black market dealing after the war. I grew up on war stories from my grandparents and so love this time period. It’s an interesting slice of 2 different time periods and how opinions and attitudes have changed. It’s still quite a light read even though it covers teen pregnancies and kind of glosses over what I imagine were real traumatic times for unmarried mothers (I know it from the 70's POV from my own mother's story) but I didn’t mind as it wasn’t that type of book and only a small part of the story

I read this originally during a period of serious illness and it was a great read that helped me during a difficult time. Fascinating story with interesting issues but light enough to deal with when I struggled to read.

[Karen Mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stunning story from Jan showing how quickly your life can be turned upside down, and all that you believed turns out to be a lie and the damage that can do to you as a person.

It's the 1960's and Jennifer has been living a blessed life - surrounded by family and friends, playing by the rules! A proper little good girl! But just as she's about to set off for college she finds out something that tears down her settled world and leaves her distrusting those closest to her. She wants answers and wants to know who she really is.

The story also goes back to the 1940's where life is tough for everyone - deaths in the family because of war, making the best of bad situations, and young Rose is just starting out as she gets a job working locally to help her family out. She always clashes with her father anyway but it's getting tougher for them to be around one another so she's grateful for the way out. But he's always watching over her, waiting for her to slip up and when a budding romance between her and Marco begins to heat up things are about to get even more traumatic for the family. Rose is forced to make a decision she hates and it causes great division in the family.

Watching the stories over the '40s and '60s was fascinating - seeing life being much freer in the sixties but also watching similar things happen to characters shows that life can never be predicted, no matter the circumstances. Rose decides to rebel in response to the news she received and she won't settle down until she is told the truth.

I really enjoyed this story as you just felt so connected to the characters and storylines. You try and put yourself in their shoes and wonder how you would react. It's a story showing the impact of family secrets, personality clashes and determination to discover the truth. Highly recommended!

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, can I just take a moment to share to serious cover love?
Isn’t it gorgeous? I love it, it’s so pretty you can just imagine yourself in the women’s shoes on the cover, can’t you? Is it just me, or are the covers at Ruby Fiction and Choc Lit getting prettier with every book?
I loved Jan Baynham’s previous book; ‘Her Mother’s Secret’ and was looking forward to seeing what she had in store for us all next, I am happy to say Jan does not disappoint, Her Sister’s Secret is another intriguing, surprising and emotional story which is steeped in family drama and hidden secret’s, it’s easy to say that this is my favourite of the two books, it’s not at all what I thought it would be like, as the description is misleading, the back blurb doesn’t really do this book the justice it deserves but it certainly hooks you and then from reading those first few pages you sit back and think; ‘Yup, this is going to be a good one.‘
If you are expecting to be thrown head first into the ‘swinging sixties’ then be prepared for a wee bit of a wait, because first we are whisked a little further back in time to post war Wales, where we meet Rose, who is an integral part of Jennifer’s overall story, the more we learning about Rose and seeing what she went through during 1946 and 1947 it does start those little grey cell’s turning, you begin putting the jigsaw pieces into place only for Rose’s part of the book to end and Jennifer’s to start, when all of a sudden you have an inkling of where the jigsaw pieces fit in but you then have pieces that don’t fit anywhere until you reach the precipices of the story and everything slot’s into place but not exactly how I originally thought it would, I absolutely loved the suspense as Jennifer slowly finds the answers of who she is.
If you’ve read ‘Her Mother’s Secret‘ you may think that this book follows on, as the titles and the cover’s are pretty similar, but you would be very wrong. This is a complete stand-alone, we have an whole new family to meet, a whole new host of secrets and drama to unearth but with the same raw emotion and twist’s which keep you guessing and turning the pages.
I really liked the timeslip aspect, even though it’s not a traditional ‘timeslip story’ I thought it had a feel to it. I liked how it starts in the 40’s, reveals just enough which makes certain you will keep reading and then we jump forward into the 60’s where all is revealed. Plus on top of all the family drama, there is the setting’s, unlike ‘Her Mother’s Secret‘ we aren’t transported to a beautiful place in the sun straight away, but once we do dip our toes into the aquatic blue Sicilian sea there is no going back.
I loved seeing Wales through the eyes of these two different women, each one brings their home to life, it’s a very visual and thoughtful story that span’s twenty years and it’s a joy to join both Rose and Jennifer on their individual journey’s.
Jan Baynham has once again stolen your heart and whisked you away with her beautiful and atmospheric words, this is one of those book which just get’s better and better with every reading, like a fine wine which matures’ into something delicious.

[Sally Cronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan Baynham creates wonderful characters that you can engage with immediately. They are not perfect, but their flaws add an element of authenticity and enrich the story.

Starting at the end of WWII we follow the story of Rose and Marco as they attempt to keep their romance secret. Not only is their relationship forbidden as Marco is a POW, but Rose’s father having fought in WWI is very much against any form of contact. He also has secrets that drives an even bigger wedge between father and daughter. Events unfold that fracture the tenuous family bonds leaving Rose alone to face a bleak future.

Moving forward to 1966 and Jennifer is facing a similar crisis with this embittered and damaged father when she discovers a secret that has been hidden from her for 17 years and it forces her to re-evaluate who she is and her way forward with her studies, love and her family.

The author shares her love of Wales in her descriptions of the surroundings and the village and its occupants who play a part in the unfolding story. She also does a brilliant job of bringing the warmth and scenery of the very different Sicily to life as Jennifer follows her determination to discover more about the past.

The book has flow, surprises and wonderful and touching romantic moments leading to a climax as all the secrets are finally revealed and lives are transformed. This is the second book I have read by this author and can recommend them both. I am looking forward to reading the next.

[Natalie Normann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second novel from Jan Baynham, and it's a joy to see that she delivers again. The story spans two generations and gives a detailed and fascinating insight in life in Wales shortly after the war, and then Wales and Sicily in the sixties. Great timeslip with wonderful characters.
The story of Rose and Jennifer is told with love and care, and even the most difficult parts are done with great compassion that thugs at your heartstrings. Rose is a lovely, young girl, in her first job after the war. She's a sensible girl, and she knows the rules of the little village where she lives. When Rose falls in love, problems arise. I loved all the characters, but especially Aunt Edie. We should all have an auntie like that.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

‘Her Sister’s Secret‘ will give us the stories of two amazing women, in different time periods, facing an entirely different world from each other yet there is a bond there. One that Jennifer is about to discover just when she was on the brink of starting a new life beyond her home -now that’s all changed for her as she deals with secrets long kept and begins a journey of discovery to figure out who she really is.

I grew up during the 1960s and although I didn’t experience all that time period offered teens/young adults I certainly felt right at home when Jennifer appears in ‘Her Sister’s Secret‘. But first, we need to meet Rose, for a great deal of this book hinges on what she experienced and the choices she made that are now affecting Jennifer’s life so profoundly.

I don’t want to get into spoilers that could ruin another reader’s enjoyment of ‘Her Sister’s Secret‘ so I’ll just move on to the emotional impact this story has. Jennifer’s story is not only about her discovery but about the people she considers family, how love isn’t about the past or circumstances but directed at one particular person – and Jennifer was certainly loved throughout her life. She turned “wild” for a bit after discovering that envelope but it didn’t change her at the core. She needed answers and wasn’t afraid to travel beyond her comfort zone to find them.

As always with this author, you’ll be transported to lovely locations with breathtaking descriptions that will make you feel as if you are indeed there. It’s not always easy to blend to time periods together, yet the transition from one person’s story that leads to another’s is smooth and easy to read. I was easily caught up in both Jennifer’s and Rose’s lives and spent one long night finishing this one before giving in to the need for sleep. I laughed, cried, got angry, and was fascinated by the courage, conviction, and lives of two women who lived their lives to the fullest, no matter the consequences.

If you enjoy a story that is emotionally satisfying, leads to secrets unveiled, and watching a young woman rediscover who she is then ‘Her Sister’s Secret‘ should be on your reading radar right now. I loved this one and I believe you will as well.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher Ruby Fiction/Choc Lit. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

[Isabelle D · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like to read about family secrets, this book must be for you, just like the author's previous novel, Her Mother's Secret, which is NOT linked to this one (in case you wondered because of the similar titles and matching covers). So we're meeting an entirely new family, with emphasis on the mothers and daughters (and there's also an aunt who plays an important mother-like role for more than one of the others). I really liked them all.
Now I must say that the blurb and subtitle are quite misleading: as the blurb only mentions Jennifer, and the subtitle places the story in 1966, you might believe you accidentally opened another book when you find out it starts with Rose in 1946 and stays with her for about a third of the total length. In fact, that part tells us, like a very long prologue, all what Jennifer is about to find out when we meet her in the next section, that starts in 1965. All? Not quite, of course - by the end of Rose's section, we know what happened to her in 1946-47, but not during the 18 following years. That's to be revealed in the last part.
Also, be warned that, if you were looking forward to a virtual holiday in Sicily like the one in Greece we had in Her Mother's Secret, that won't happen until quite late in the story. But don't let any of that deter you from reading this book - it being not really what you would have expected doesn't make it any less good. It just means you get two heroines instead of one and visit Wales in two different times before the promised trip to Sicily.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Joanna Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again Jan Baynham has managed to produce an excellent saga. Although it's a big read - 462 pages - the pace never drags. You keep wanting to know what happens next. Split between the 1940's and 1960's Jan has captured both eras well. In the 1940s Rose falls in love with Italian Marco, an ex-prisoner of war. They meet in secret and plan to marry but sadly fate takes them in different directions. In the 1960s Rose's sister Jennifer opens a brown envelope and makes a life changing discovery. One which for a while has a dramatic effect on her behaviour, falling in with a bad crowd and putting her at odds with her parents. About to leave for college, she postpones her education for a year determined to get to the bottom of what was contained in the envelope. It's an emotional roller coaster. She has never met her sister and at home her name is never mentioned. But Jennifer needs to find her because it is only Rose who can help her discover who she really is.
A thoroughly enjoyable read with great characters and a well developed plot full of twists and turns. I can't wait for Jan's next book!

[Carol Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this emotional page-turner from Jan Baynham, who once again had me captivated from start to finish. I was transported through time and place as the story unfolded. I loved the strong female characters who had to face the realities of love, life and loss in the 1940s and 1960s.

A small village in post-war Wales is brought to life through the actions of Rose Howells, whose story made me shed tears. I was fascinated by the detail of daily life weaved into the story and the familial interactions portrayed. Patriarch Joe Howells is a man who has been through the war and whose unbending nature leaves the women of his family to rally around each other as they endeavour to solve the issues they face.

Onto the 1960s and Jennifer Howells becomes the focus of the story when she makes an unexpected discovery. Her life unravels in the wake of the news until she is ready to begin to pick up the pieces and go on a journey of self-discovery. Sicily is brought to life wonderfully, as are those she meets there.

I was drawn into the life of the Howells family and willed them towards finding peace with the past. Overall, this was a captivating and moving read.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story spans the stories of 3 women from the late 1940s to the mid 60s. The author enmeshes you in the family and the pain of their stories. The horror of conceiving a baby before marriage is explained and how the women deal with it dealt with so sympathetically detailed I shed a tear. This is not though a sad book, far from it. It highlights the strength they all have in all areas of their lives in their different eras. The differences and similarities are well described and the constant presence of Aunt Edie ties it together. I really enjoyed this book and at the end felt uplifted by the joy of a jigsaw completed.

[Donna Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is mainly set in the 1960s (but goes back to the 1940s as well) and is split between South Wales and Sicily. Jen finds out that the couple that brought her up are her grandparents so she tries to find out what happened to her real parents. There are lots of family secrets which get unearthed along the way.
I really enjoyed reading this book and found it hard to put down. I empathised with the female characters and the author explains very well how sacrifices were made in order to preserve social standing.

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started reading this I expected lots of fun in the sun with a scooter and carefree times. No. Finding myself so deep in Wales the 1940's that I felt that I was there, I was quite confused. However, all becomes clear - eventually. All the characters, even those with more secondary parts, are strongly drawn and play their roles in the story. Secrets are kept, and exposed, and you may ask yourself what you would have decided in the same situation. Altogether this was a lot more book than I expected.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read

I've already read Jan's first book and was impressed. This one had all the features I love, family history and travel. Many thanks Jan. Looking forward to future reads from this author.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put this book down. A lovely piece of writing with very a descriptive style. Possibly even better than the first book by this newly published author. Looking forward to her next book which will be a must for me.

[Ruthie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great family drama and romance

Strong Welsh women post war and 1960s. Captured the reckless excitement of young love. Liked the warmth of the Sicily scenes best.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent follow-up to the author's debut. Another absorbing family saga set in Wales & Sicily with a clearly developed plot & plenty of twists & turns. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Luisa Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable story of two determined women and the complexities of family relationships.

[Anne R Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Good Read

Enjoyed this book very much, it is as good as her first and towards the end of the book,just like Her Mothers Secret, you don’t want it to end. Very good read

[Reconciliation]

From the beginning this book draws you in as you are pulled in by the characters especially Rose. Life was oh so different then, and being an unmarried mother a huge no no. However Rose makes a way with some support from her aunt, and eventually her mother.

Fast forward 20years to the 60s, and Jennifer learns her whole life has been a lie. Needing to find out who she is, she embarks on a journey to locate her real parents.

I really enjoyed reading this and highly recommend it.

[Terry E Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Well-written. I finished it the first morning. A perfect morning read, on the deck with coffee. I'm looking forward to the next. I could just continue this afternoon, or save it for another morning.

[jayne hay · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Jennifer learns the true about her birth mother it changes her life as she known it

When Jennifer finds out her life has been a lie all her life she sent out to discover who she real is