The Secret Sister

by M.M. DeLuca

The truth always comes out…
I want to tell my husband, Guy, everything about my past. Honestly, I do. He’s been so wonderful, providing me with a life of comfort and love a world away from the dark life I had before.

He deserves the truth.

But if he finds out who I really am, the perfect life I’ve built will come crashing down around my ears. And that can’t happen. Not yet. Not until I reveal the truth about what happened to my little sister.

A completely addictive thriller that will keep you guessing into the early hours of the morning. Perfect for fans of The Step Daughter, Shalini Boland and K.L. Slater.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Adult, Mystery Thriller

368 pages, Paperback

First published March 25, 2021

About the author

M. M DeLuca spent her childhood in the ancient cathedral city of Durham in North-Eastern England. She attended the University of London, became a teacher, and then immigrated to Canada. There she also studied writing under her mentor, Pulitzer Prize winning author, Carol Shields. She writes in many genres, including historical, suspense and YA sci-fi. She also writes for screen and TV..

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anna is a struggling teacher trying to make ends meet when in walks Guy to give a lecture at her school. Their eyes connect and the attraction is instant. After only a few weeks Anna finds herself moving into his luxurious apartment. Even given a credit card to use however she wants which delights Anna as she is shopping obsessed due to her childhood of poverty.

We also know that Anna is trying to find out what happened to her missing sister, Birdie. We flashback to their childhood and the several families the girls lived with throughout the foster care system.

Her tragic history and her new found pampered life style are about to connect in explosive fashion.

This started off really strong and I was enjoying it. Until I wasn't any longer. First of all this book is much too long and so much could have been left out. Also the subject matter, I feel, wasn't taken seriously enough. I loved My Dark Vanessa and Putney both works of literary fiction that seemed to really shine a light on pedophilia and grooming while breaking your heart into a million pieces. My heart never broke For Anna or Birdie once and it certainly should have. All in all I didn't really enjoy this one much. There will be no fear of missing out if you skip this. 2 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for my digital ARC.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 **TRIGGER WARNING** There is child abuse, some graphic scenes and drug abuse.

I want to tell my husband, Guy, everything about my past. He's been so wonderful, providing me with a life of comfort and love. He deserves the truth. But if he finds out who i really am, the perfect life i've built will come crashing down. I can't tell him until i reveal the truth about what happened to my little sister.

Anna was a teacher struggling to survive from week to week when she first met Guy, a wealthy lecturer. The attraction between them was instant. Anna is also trying to findher sister Bridie. The story flips back to he time when Anna and Bridie were brought up in foster care to the present day and Anna's luxurious life. The story is hard to read in palces, in fact it's actually heartbreaking. I also felt the book dragged on longer than necessary. I did enjoy this book.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #RandomHousseUK #TransworldPublishers and the author #MMDeLuca for my ARC #TheSecretSister in exchange for an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent read, but wasn’t what I expected based on the synopsis. It centers on Anna, who has finally found happiness with Guy, but can’t seem to break free from her past and what happened to her missing twin sister, Birdie. Anna and Birdie grew up in the foster care system (note- these parts are often graphic and sad) and the experience has shaped who she is today.

The book pings back and forth between Anna’s childhood and the current time- I found this engaging and easy to follow. We get to know the things that happened to Anna as a child that shaped the decisions she makes today.

I did find Anna a little difficult to like; I didn’t know why she continued to torture herself by visiting places that brought her terrible memories. I also was turned off about how she didn’t let anyone get close to her, though this is somewhat understandable based on her upbringing. I also felt that the book left a lot of unanswered questions related to what was going on with social services.

That being said, the book held my interest and though I had an idea of how it was all going to turn out, it succeeded in the attempt of giving the reader bits and pieces of childhood traumas to understand where Anna is coming from today. Not my favorite book, but a decent read. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Arianne Richmonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first M. M. DeLuca book and the main thing that struck me was how well The Secret Sister was written. The style is descriptive and emotive; the sort of sentences you mull over. This is not one of those super-quick, simple reading experiences, with the villain obvious from word go. This is about abuse in the foster system, the power of grownups over children, and the lasting effects of poverty during childhood. This book is about love and relationships, the ugly truths, and about choices and their consequences. This is not a "fun" light, read. But it is the sort of book that stays with you.

Anna is a teacher and we follow her as she digs deep into her past, desperate to find out what happened to her twin sister, Birdy. She meets Guy and falls in love, seduced by the luxurious lifestyle he can offer her. But Anna, with her shopping addiction, is not "materialistic" in the normal sense of the word. She is haunted by her past, living in group and foster homes and appreciates even a meal. She knows what it is to be hungry.

The writing style and the subject matter really reminded me of a book I read recently: The Last Flight The reader is drawn into the troubled past of the protagonist while also solving a mystery. This is not a whodunnit as such or a super twisty book (although there is a big surprise at the end) but has more the literary feel of women's fiction with the excellent writing and the well-drawn characters, and all the details that come with a cleverly thought out plot (without gimmicks). The book is real and gritty, sad and descriptive.

For me this may not have been a novel I would have chosen had I not been given an ARC, but it ended up being a 5-star read. I also found it to be beautifully edited. Thank you to the publishers, Canelo, for providing me with an ARC.

[Jazz Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna had a bad lot in life growing up within the care system and being placed with abusive foster parents. Anna wasn't alone her twin sister Birdie was with her, until she wasn't. Birdie disappeared after falling in with the wrong crowd forced into child sex work for respectable men in the community. Now as an adult Anna is searching not only for answers but vengeance.

I found this book interesting. I kind of guessed how it would play out in some parts but I also found myself doubting the reliability of Anna as a narrator. How much of her memory is fact or fantasy. She makes it known to the reader she has been known to make things up. I really enjoyed the fact that I knew I couldn't trust a word she said and therefore tried guessing the narrative as well.

Anna isn't a very good female lead and I wish there was one to her. If I was asked tell me something important to Anna other than Birdie? The one and only answer I could give is shopping. If you read this book you will understand why. Look I'm all for good shopping addiction but I felt it took away from the story. I could of gone with the constant trips to the mall. I also didn't feel anything around her relationship with guy I don't know it wasn't sold for me. I honestly thought she should get with the old man principle St the school she worked at he seemed nice.

Anna's job is something I wanted to heat more about. Working with under privileged kids at an alternative school who she could truly connect with and understand I espically loved Dean.

The book flips from past to presence constantly. She is always lost in thought. I enjoyed, well enjoyed is the wrong word, but I found those parts of the book gripped me in even more. I wanted to know what happened to Birdie, was she alive, was she real and how will it end. All of these questions got answered and that's what really sold me on this book. I wish there was more if I'm honest.

All of the characters seemed fickle and I didn't really love any of them.
The conclusion of this book was rushed and unsatisfactory if I'm honest. I want to know how it ended for everyone.

Would I recommend?
It's an easy read and easy to follow. Do in that respect yes I would. However its unlikely to be a book I say ooow have you read and espically to psychological thriller lovers its just not meaty enough. But I enjoyed parts and wish the ending was better and less predictable. 3 stars

Thank you to netgalley the and the author for the digital ARC in exchange for my fair and honest.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because of some of the Authors other work and I'm glad I was. Although it is a tough subject matter, it is very real and the author covered it very well. From living in foster homes - the good, the bad and the ugly, - to surviving and succeeding and helping others along the way, it is something that shines in the story of Anna and Birdie! Even though the story is set in Minneapolis, it could be your town, as I certainly felt that I recognized it as being "my town". The story very much helps us to walk in someone else's shoes, thereby helping us to be more considerate and tolerant in our daily interactions. Thank you!

[Sammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna is a schoolteacher with a slight shopping addiction struggling to pay her bills when a whirlwind romance sweeps her away. She falls into the life of luxury but she can’t let go of thoughts of her sister and her past and everything that went wrong.

This was a riveting thriller that I could not put down! I loved all the vibes, the mystery & everything in between.

The ending was a little abrupt but that’s forgiven.

Thank you so much to Canelo for the gifted copy

[Hayley Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-wrenching clash of past and present which is not for the feint hearted. It is rare for a book to make you feel so many strong emotions, but The Secret Sister does this throughout the book and beyond. A struggling teacher Anna meets a wealthy lecturer called Guy, who takes her lovingly into the heart of his family. Anna's troubled past continues to haunt her as she tries to piece together the story of her missing sister, Birdie. Although some of the story was uncomfortable to read, with discussion of sexual exploitation and drug abuse of children who have slipped through the care system, there never failed to be a sense of hope within the book. The descriptive language was captivating and intriguing, meaning I couldn't put the book down. A real insight into the dark depths of society and the gruesome side of human nature. This has been the most memorable book I have read in a long time.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book . It tells the story of Anna and her twin sister Birdy . Set in the US, they are taken into care at a young age because their mother was absent and their father could not cope. Anna has done well and is now teaching in a high school. She meets a man and gets married quite quickly, neither of them know each other. Although her husband , Guy, is sensitive enough to realise that she has a difficult past, she does not talk about this.
The narrative jumps from the present time to the past, following the childhood and teenage years of Anna and her sister . I do not think I am giving too much away if I say that they (along with others) were failed by the care system and the social workers. As the book moves on, you coe to understand that there is more to this than meets the eye at first.
I have a book hangover from staying up late to finish this book, the last hundred pages were gripping and I could not put the book down. I am still thinking about Anna's situation (always the sign of a good book)
Thank you to Net Galley,, the author and Cannelo for a great and thoughtful read in exchange for an honest review

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading M.M DeLuca Y. A Novels, and love that I have grown with the author. This novel is one you cannot put down! I put aside all my work so I could binge it in a day. A gripping story places you in the driver's seat of our protagonist Anna's life. A character so well crafted you can't help but be invested in her journey as she unravels the horrific truth of her past. With many twists and turns this novel kept me on edge and guessing till the end. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review

[Laura Hilash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this quick read. The Author covers a tough topic that we may not like to admit happens in our own hometowns, though is a very real issue all over the world. Anna's recurring flashbacks to her very tough childhood, between foster families and group homes, transports you to the reality that many underprivileged youth face every day and the grief they then carry into adulthood. After the disappearance of her sister and with no one else to trust, Anna looks to settle the score with the corrupt system and superiors responsible for her sister's demise. While others claim that the story was predictable, I found the opposite as it did not end how I expected which left me both surprised and satisfied.

Thanks to Net galley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and thank you to M. M. DeLuca for the raw and eye-opening novel.

Would recommend!

[charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to struggle to finish this book parts of it would suck me in and I thought it would have this big climatic ending that would tie everything together and everyone would basically get what they deserve and things would be explained however the ending just left me wondering WTF.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling

Merged review:

Thrilling

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to discover new authors and M. M. De Luca is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for ‘The Secret Sister’ and it certainly sounded as though I was going to be in for a treat. Without further ado, I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for an afternoon full of reading.
I have to say that it took me rather a while to get into this book. Part of the problem was the fact that I was tired when I started to read the book. Another part of the problem was the fact that I didn’t take to any of the main characters. I got the impression that each of them was hiding something. I have probably been reading too much crime fiction as I suspect everybody and believe nobody. I did get into the story eventually and from then on, I found it hard to put the book down for any length of time. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen and I had to keep turning those pages to find out if I was on the right track or if I had the completely wrong end of the stick. I soon got to the end of the story.
‘The Secret Sister’ is well written. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into what proves to be a compelling read. Reading this book was much like being on an unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I thought that I had worked out what was going to happen only for the author to throw me a curve ball and send me down another route entirely. I found ‘The Secret Sister’ to be an intriguing and gripping read, which certainly kept me guessing.
In short and overall I did enjoy reading ‘The Secret Sister’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more from M. M. De Luca in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Ghada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley, Canelo and M. M. Deluca for an Arc to review.
An unsettling, disturbing, heartbreaking book, but so is life sometimes.
But does that mean it's not a good book?
I really liked the book but I didn't enjoy reading it, the book didn't shy away from digging deep in the dark sufferings of those poor souls and the dark depths of those perfectly disguised wicked souls with their deceptive layers. I pray books like this could raise enough awareness to cause a change, to save someone who it is not too late yet.
The writing style is engaging though I wouldn't recommend it to readers who would be triggered by graphics scenes and child abuse

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did not see that coming

[Janet Scarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book opens in Las Vegas, November 2019. Anna Holt purposely gives her husband Guy the slip and hides from him. He becomes frantic phoning and texting her. She admits that she loves him very much but that she has made a promise to her twin sister Birdie to fix everything for her. Make it all right again. This intrigued me and I couldn’t wait to find out what this meant.
We skip to Minneapolis eight months earlier and learn that Anna knew all about Guy before she met him in person. Anna is an English Lit teacher at an alternative high school living paycheque to paycheque. She’s a good teacher, loves her job and cares very much for her students. Anna first meets Guy when he comes to her school to give a professional development presentation to the staff of the school. Guy and Anna are instantly attracted to each other. You can feel the sexual chemistry between them right from the beginning and throughout the book.
Anna is a compulsive shopper and the mall is her happy place. For the first sixteen years of her life she was deprived of good clothes, decent food, safety and security, permanence and a home to call her own. She also lost her sister Birdie. Anna is the thinker and Birdie is the dreamer and Anna feels that she has to act as Birdie’s protector. When Dennis, their father, can no longer care for them they are taken by Children’s Protection Services. They are placed in a number of foster homes, some good, some terrifying where they are abused. At some point Anna loses track of Birdie and is constantly searching for her and trying to remember what happened to her. You’re afraid for her when it appears that her life is going so well but inside she is falling apart.
The author does a very good job of creating the characters with great atmosphere. You can imagine them, for instance like Robin, the principal, “a dusty relic from the sixties hanging grimly onto the barest semblance of youth, with his diamond stud earrings, wispy strands of reddish-gray hair and musty checkered shirts that smelled of old laundry.”
This book is a very good read and sometimes the description of what happens to vulnerable young underage children lost in the foster care system is upsetting. However, you can tell that the author has researched this and writes it in a sympathetic manner. The author builds tension that grows throughout the book and you find yourself unable to put the book down. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Sara Clifford-gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna is a teacher who works in a school for vulnerable young people. She struggles to make ends meet, living hand to mouth as she feeds her shopping addiction. When Guy walks into the school lecture hall one day to deliver to the staff a professional development session, Anna’s life changes.
She wants to tell Guy the truth about her past, but she can’t but she has also made a promise to her sister Birdie, who has gone missing, that she will reveal the truth about what happened to her.

Wow! This book was gripping. In one description it quotes “A completely addictive thriller that will keep you guessing into the early hours of the morning” and it did I couldn’t go to sleep as I wanted to know how certain characters would respond to certain situations! I guessed the twist about two pages before it was revealed and I was a) chuffed that I managed to solve the mystery and b) thrilled that it wasn’t so obvious that I was just waiting for the author to reveal what I already knew.

I would have liked to have known what happened to certain characters after the news was revealed, but in this case, less is more!

This is a disturbing, heart-breaking story which tackles head-on the story line of child exploitation in the care system and it certainly doesn’t hold any punches.

A wonderful, enthralling, chilling read.

[Lisa Wetzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I thought it would be. When I read the synopsis I was intrigued but as I kept reading it it became more and more disturbing! I thought at first I would not finish it but it did keep me engaged enough to want to know what happened! It is difficult to read in certain parts but again I wanted to see how it turns out!!! Some of the content is very graphic and does go into child abuse, but if you can read through it, it’s not a bad book! You have to decide if you you can stomach some of it!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ginny T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good read that I struggled to put down. I love how it told the story of Anna, Birdie and their past alongside the present with Anna and Guy and both focusing on the main topic of the book - grooming and sexual exploitation. M.M.Deluca covered all aspects and most certainly did her research before writing about all the aspects she covered within this storyline.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna and her twin sister, Birdie, grew up in poverty. Their mother OD’d when they were very young. Their father did all he could to care for them, but as a truck driver, he often left them at home alone. When child protective services found out, the girls were taken away and put into foster care. Most of these situations were not good for the girls. One day, Birdie just took off and Anna has no idea where she is. Anna worked hard and became a teacher. With little pay, she lives in a tiny apartment but has a passion for shopping having maxed out several credit cards.

One day, Anna attends a lecture during lunch given by Professor Guy Franzen. She is taken with how handsome he is and they strike up a conversation. After a couple of dates, he invites her to move in with him. The man is very wealthy with much of his money coming from his father. Guy spoils her giving her money and they finally marry.

The storyline goes back and forth from Anna’s difficult childhood to present day. Her experiences as a child are very gritty and sad. To think that some foster children are living in circumstances like this is appalling. I truly hope that is not the case, but I’m sure some children fall through the cracks. We often see it on the news. Anna just wants to find Birdie so she keeps visiting druggie hangouts and such. These visits show the reader how disgusting this life is. Kids get hooked on drugs and will do anything to get them. While Anna is a disturbed person, she is lucky to have Guy. What a wonderful man. The book was overly long and difficult to stay with but it does open reader’s eyes to the grittier part of life.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Mairi MacGregor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Secret Sister opens with Anna,, a grown-up, living with her husband Guy whom she loves with all her heart. However, the book is the story of Anna and her sister, Birdie. Their mother had died from a massive drug overdose and their father, well, as much as he tried, he was as much a failure as their mother albeit in a very different way. This led to them being admitted to the country's "care" system. I say care sarcastically because care couldn't be the furthest thing from it. What these two children went through is shocking. They went from family to family being abused, sexually and otherwise, both sisters trying desperately to survive this torrent of hell being wrought upon them.

This book evoked many emotions in me. Revulsion, heartbreak, sadness, even fear. I won't beat about the bush in this, it's a deeply disconcerting book in parts but also strangely compelling. These parts are a bit like watching a severe accident; you want to look away but something keeps you staring straight at it.

It's slow to get going, I won't deny it. However, you are repaid dividends once the plot finally gets established and it finally comes into its own. DeLuca's writing style owes to this triumph. She keeps you interested through the slow parts with her fresh, vibrant writing.

It's due to these slow parts though that I cannot in all honesty give the novel a five-star review. Due to the graphic nature of some parts of the books which I honestly found hard to swallow, I have to downgrade it also. For that, I give The Secret Sister, three stars.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my free copy of The Secret Sister in exchange for my honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Damppebbles Blog Tours, MM DeLuca, and Canelo for providing me with a digital copy of The Secret Sister with a request for an honest review.

The Secret Sister is one of those novels where you are in perpetual confusion. I had no idea what was real and what was fantasy through most of the book. But, when it hit me, it hit me like a ton of bricks. MM DeLuca is a great storyteller! The suspense and the reveal are intense yet so satisfying.

I spent so much time trying to figure out if Anna was delusional. Was there a sister? Was being a twin all in her head? What the heck is happening?! I couldn’t decide if I hated Anna or felt sorry for her. Birdie was equally unlikable. But, there was something there. These girls are victims of a flawed system, but why are they so unlikable?

These are the kinds of books I get lost in. I couldn’t read fast enough because I needed to know what was coming next. The reveals kept coming, and it wasn’t until a split second before the reveal of Guy’s identity that I guessed who he was. The cleverness of the reveal hit me in the stomach like a punch to the gut.

My only problem with this book is the use of so many Britishisms in a book set in America. Now, in all fairness, my copy was an Advanced Readers Copy and may not be in the final version. But they stuck out like sore thumbs for me, and every time I hit one, it ruined the flow of the story. I hate it when that happens, but still, the book is stunning!

I award The Secret Sister 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good suspense thriller. I hope you pick it up. I bet you will love it.

[Barbara Rohde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna and Birdie are fraternal twins who have spent their childhoods bouncing around the foster system. But they lose touch with each other as each embarks on very different paths during their teenage years.
Anna is a teacher of disengaged youth and tries to save as many of them as she can. She knows intimately their damage and self-destructive behaviours. One day she meets Guy at her school when he comes to give a professional development presentation. While Anna has been struggling to get by on a low teacher's wage, Guy is from a wealthy family and is instantly attracted to her showering her with love, attention and an endless supply of money. But we know right from the beginning that Anna can't let go of her obsession about her missing sister Birdie.
Anna's backstory is told in segments throughout the narrative and I don't think this structure served the plot well. There is a lack of empathy for these characters despite the most horrible circumstances they have endured. Every time I returned to it, I had to consciously remind myself of the story so far. I felt there was something missing from the characterisation that prevented me from really connecting to them. This novel covers a lot of disturbing themes including child abuse and the politics of power which should have provoked an emotional response in the reader but didn't for me.

[Nicole Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Between the Wines book review #37/115 for 2021:
Rating: 3 🍷 🍷 🍷 1/2
Book 📱: The Secret Sister
Author: M. M. Deluca
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASED on March 25, 2021!!!

Sipping thoughts: This book read a little differently than I expected. I was pleasantly surprised with the change in what I thought the story was about. I was a little confused at times with the flashbacks and a lot confused in what to think about Anna. I think that was actually the point though. There is some strong content and possibly a trigger for readers that need a trigger warning. I wanted a little more for the ending rather than the abrupt way it ended. I would suggest this book to someone looking for a tricky, quick read with a small twist.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @Canelo for an advanced copy of @TheSecretSister

#TheSecretSister #Canelo #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThriller #GeneralFictionAdult

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a story about a missing sister which caught my attention.

Anna seemed to have found happiness with husband Guy who provided her with security and pots of money which satisfied her inner cravings. But her twin sister was lost to her when they were together in foster care. And Anna wanted to find her.

Author M. M. DeLuca made an earnest attempt to provide a story which dealt with the realities of life. The repercussion of early years of abandonment and abuse were shown within the boundaries of a fictional story. Some parts got a bit too graphic. I had to skip them, lest I got triggered.

But the story meandered quite a lot… I mean a lot, so the suspense got diluted. Anna too was difficult to like or empathize. There were moments of vulnerability followed my sensitivity so I was not too keen on her.

Child abuse, substance abuse, foster care problems could trigger some of us. The book was too long and quite difficult to read unless you had the fortitude for it. The ending was quite different

One part of me understood the realities, but the other wanted a good suspenseful tale as promised in the blurb. That I did not get. Hence disappointed.

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Sister is my first book from M.M. DeLuca and has been such a great introduction to her work for me. It is a suspense thriller that will consume you and keep you guessing right to the end.

At times this book is hard to read given its subject matter, which includes child and drug abuse and these may be a trigger for some readers. M.M DeLuca does a great job at handling these topics which she does sensitivity, but doesn’t sugarcoat over the seriousness of them.

The characters have been well developed, crafted and they play their parts well. The past and present structure gives the reader a great insight into their background and experiences and how that has shaped them.

The Secret Sister is a well written and gripping read that really pulls on the heartstrings. There were a number of times where I read this through tears and it really got under my skin. This is one book that will stay with me for a long time to come. I will definitely be reading more from M.M DeLuca in the future.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover and synopsis of this book were intriguing. Unfortunately, I had to force myself to finish it as I found this novel disturbing and the plot, although suspenseful at the half way mark, didn't hold my attention.

It begins with Anna, a local teacher and fraternal twin, who has had a tragic and heartbreaking past. Poor and alone, she stalks a local educator and snares him into a whirlwind romance that ends in marriage. Anna knows how much she’s keeping secret from her too perfect husband, but she never stops to wonder if he’s keeping any secrets from her. You’ll probably guess that her past collides with her present, but you’ll be shocked. It’s gripping and intense and there’s a twist.

My teacher heart ached. I can’t recommend this one. I really didn’t enjoy it.

Thanks to M. M. DeLuca, Canelo and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy and share my honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disturbingly dysfunctional are how I'd describe this book. Anna, a teacher of troubled youth, stalks her future husband, also an educator, online. Her terrible childhood really influences and molds her future and she makes unwise choices. Guy also comes from a dysfunctional family full of deception and makes up for it in his way. It is psychologically interesting how their family failures manifest.

The secret sister premise is intriguing indeed but Anna's stalking, his family dynamic, her past (and present!) and that of her sister are just too many levels of disturbing. Not only that but the adult language and situations are pretty graphic which detracted from the story. Not all books are written to be happily enjoyable, I get that (and often gravitate towards those without that neat tidiness) but this made me feel too discomfited. Unfortunately, the idea got lost for me. Such a shame as it had huge potential!

[J_McA 251 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to figure out where this book was going. Once I understood the author’s purpose, I was able to better grasp the points that were being made. Although this novel was suspenseful, as the cover states, I actually felt it was more a stinging indictment of the foster care system. As Anna’s past began to take shape, her choices became clearer. In that regard, it was a good suspense novel, because it kept me guessing pretty much up until the last pages. However, there were times that it felt unfocused. I understand why the author chose this method of telling the story, because it put the reader into Anna’s mind. There was also clever plotting in Anna’s choice of profession. The second half of the book moved much faster as all of the pieces began to fall into place. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Damp Pebbles and Canelo Publishing for a digital ARC of the book.