Maisey Lazarow returns to Fairham Island after a bitter divorce and a tragedy. She returns to help her brother, Keith. She does not want to see her wealthy, controlling mother - who is the reason she left the island.

She ends up living in a bungalow at the other side of the island but she's next to Raphael who she went to high school with and whom she's also looking to avoid. While working on renovating one of the bungalows, Raphael finds a box of photos and gives them to Maisey. They are photos of her and Keith but also another child who looks a lot like them. Maisey thinks this child is their sister but they don't know what happened to her....so Maisey decides to find her despite her mother warning her not to look into this matter. ( )

I'll admit I'll read anything written by Brenda Novak. I've always enjoyed her work. This series has a bit of mystery and romance. Great Story and Nice start to what looks like a new series. The ending came too soon. Can't wait to see more.

Book given in exchange for honest review.

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Enjoyed the plot of the story. Maisey comes back to her rich parent's island to help a drug addict brother and maybe improve her relationship with her mother after a divorce and loss of baby due to SIDS. All of that rang true. Meets the island carpenter/hunk Rafe with a blind daughter creates the romance she needs in her life. Rafe finding pics of an older, never existed, or known about sister creates the mystery. My problem was Maisey in a loves him, must get away from him, back and forth attitude that just got ridiculous, too involved too quickly. Maisey trying to get answers was impressive. The ending involving a nanny from her childhood was good. The introduction of so many characters is explained now that I know it is the first in a series. It would be a good series if further details about her prim and proper mother were included. ( )

A box of photographs causes a woman to question everything she knows about herself and her family. Brenda Novak surprised me with this one. The Secret Sister is an emotionally disturbing read. The root of the story is that secrets can destroy lives. As I was reading it I'm thinking this could be a story about anyone and that stirred something within my soul. Maisey is already having a difficult time within her life and when she finds evidence of a secret that has been hidden for years she wants answers. In her quest for the truth she is forced to take a hard look at herself. Ms. Novak's stories are always full of sentiment and emotion, but this one really proved to be thought provoking. A haunting scenario. The Secret Sister was given to me in exchange for an honest review. ( )

READ AND REVIEW: THE SECRET SISTER BY BRENDA NOVAK  
 
 
 
OUT NOW!
 
THE SECRET SISTER BY BRENDA NOVAK
 
SYNOPSIS
 

Did she once have a sister? Has her mother lied all these years? Why? 
 
After a painful divorce, Maisey Lazarow returns to Fairham, the small island off the South Carolina coast where she grew up. She goes there to heal—and to help her brother, Keith, a deeply troubled man who's asked her to come home. But she refuses to stay in the family house. The last person she wants to see is the wealthy, controlling mother she escaped years ago. 
 
Instead, she finds herself living next door to someone else she'd prefer to avoid—Rafe Romero, the wild, reckless boy to whom she lost her virginity at sixteen. He's back on the island, and to her surprise, he's raising a young daughter alone. Maisey's still attracted to him, but her heart's too broken to risk… 
 
Then something even more disturbing happens. She discovers a box of photographs that evoke distant memories of a little girl, a child Keith remembers, too. Maisey believes the girl must've been their sister, but their mother claims there was no sister. 
Maisey's convinced that child existed. So where is she now? 

 
BUY LINKS
 
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Sister-Brenda-Novak-ebook/dp/B00S503T50/
 
Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secret-sister-brenda-novak/1120842321?ean=9781460382301
 
Google Play Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Brenda_Novak
_The_Secret_Sister?id=XUUnBgAAQBAJ&hl=en
 
Harlequin:  http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=59710
 
Ibooks:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-secret-sister/id957340643?mt=11
 
Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-secret-sister-4
 
 
REVIEW:  THE SECRET SISTER BY BRENDA NOVAK
 
The Secret Sister by Brenda NovakMy rating: 4 of 5 starsA box of photographs causes a woman to question everything she knows about herself and her family. Brenda Novak surprised me with this one. The Secret Sister is an emotionally disturbing read. The root of the story is that secrets can destroy lives. As I was reading it I'm thinking this could be a story about anyone and that stirred something within my soul. Maisey is already having a difficult time within her life and when she finds evidence of a secret that has been hidden for years she wants answers. In her quest for the truth she is forced to take a hard look at herself. Ms. Novak's stories are always full of sentiment and emotion, but this one really proved to be thought provoking. A haunting scenario. The Secret Sister was given to me in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews ( )