Title: Secret Sister
Series: N/A
Author: Emelle Gamble
Genre: Romance/Women’s Fiction
Blurb: What if everything about you changed in an instant?
Nick&Cathy and Roxanne.Two best friends. One husband. An extraordinary twist of fate.
How much do you really know about your husband? Your best friend? Yourself? Cathy Chance knows she loves her husband, Nick, with the same passion she had when she married him seven years ago, and he adores her. She also knows that she and her best friend, Roxanne, are closer than most sisters. But on a sunny summer day, these three are hurled into an astounding new reality which forces each to reconsider everything they thought was true about themselves, and one another.
Thoughts: I honestly had a hard time getting through this book. It really had nothing to do with the actual storyline, or how unbelievable it may be – I have read other books along the same lines. Most notably, Heaven-Sent Husband by Leandra Logan, which was along the same lines only with the male character being the one who “died”. In fact, I kept comparing the two novels the whole time I was reading. This one was just not as well executed for me.
For one, there were just alot of unanswered questions about the “body swap”. Cathy was also married to Nick, yet mentions she was attracted to Roxanne’s boyfriend who was a jerk – and she takes advantage after the swap to sleep with him secretly. Granted she thought that she was Roxanne at the time, but part of me just really couldn’t buy that she wouldn’t keep at least a portion of her memories as Cathy – even when she took over Roxanne’s body. But even ignoring that, I think it would have bothered me less if she hadn’t confessed initially as Cathy that she had an attraction to Michael. And while she DID have alot of guilt over it, she also decided to not tell her “husband” Nick anyway afterward. If it had been as innocent as her being Roxanne – or believing that she was Roxanne at the time – then she would have told him the truth. Not kept it from him. The whole truth thing was a big issue for me. I don’t know how you can move forward with a life built on lies and things that you’ve kept hidden from each other. It just made it difficult for me to feel a connection to the characters overall.
If this is your first time reading a novel along these lines, it might be okay – but for me it just fell short.
Rate: D
HI EMMELLE, MY WHAT A PRETTY NAME.
Thank you for the review, Sarah. I know you ladies get hundreds of requests, and I appreciate you spending the time to get to know Nick and Cathy and Roxanne. I’m sorry it wasn’t a hit with you, but I’m learning that it’s probably impossible for everyone to like the same story. Respectfully, there is one factual correction to your review. When Cathy sleeps with Michael (Roxanne’s boyfriend), she does not know she is Cathy. Her memory is damaged due to the accident, and all she knows is that she looks like someone called Roxanne, and everyone tells her she is Roxanne.When she does find out who she really is, she feels a lot of guilt over this incident. But again, thank you for featuring the book. I’ll try you again with my next one! Best regards and keep up the great work on this blog. Emelle Gamble
You are right, it is impossible to please everyone…:) Everyone has different opinions on what they like/dislike. And I noticed on Amazon that there are quite a few great reviews on there for Secret Sister, so apparently I fall in the minority here with my review!…:) And with your correction, I have to say I agree with you on that point – perhaps I should have been more clear when I explained that portion. Part of me really couldn’t buy that she wouldn’t keep at least a portion of her memories as Cathy – even when she took over Roxanne’s body. But even ignoring that, I think it would have bothered me less if she hadn’t confessed initially as Cathy that she had an attraction to Michael. And while she DID have alot of guilt over it, she also decided to not tell her “husband” Nick anyway afterward. If it had been as innocent as her being Roxanne – or believing that she was Roxanne at the time – then she would have told him the truth. The whole truth thing was a big issue for me. I will add the additional comments in a correction of the review itself. Thanks for the compliments on the blog, and I would consider it a privilege to give your next one a try!
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