I’m not going to lie, I had very mixed feelings about this book. I ultimately chose to look at it as a book about family secrets, even though there were some aspects that drew my focus (more on that later).
I do want to start by saying that I absolutely loved the first book in this series, The Sunset Sisters. The characters were strong, the story was plausible, and there were several heartwarming moments. I was hoping for the same from this one.
I did get a story of intrigue and family secrets. I liked the premise of a small town built around a factory. And I definitely did not see a few of the twists coming.
I thought the style of writing was effective, especially how the author used “interviews” interspersed among the chapters to give the reader commentary on actions that are in the past, but have yet to be told in the plot. They served as a Greek Chorus and were effective.
The action also shifts between multiple perspectives, which works well. It’s never confusing, and the different points of view give a more holistic view of the events at hand. It also gives the reader more insight into the characters.
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I liked Gina. She was the most level-headed character in the entire book. In spite of everything she went through, she still remained relatively strong. I also liked her son, Calan, and Malaika. They were interesting characters, and their journey was a bit touching.
I did not like Alice. In fact, I think she is one of the ugliest characters I have ever “met” and that goes for serial killers and psychotic kidnappers. Every time she had a chapter, I had to keep myself from skipping through, because she annoyed me that much.
I couldn’t decide whether the author was writing her to be representative and make a statement or as a commentary on her particular point of view. There were times that I felt like I was being yelled at rather than enjoying a story, as some of the “opinions” were heavy-handed. I was disappointed in how Alice’s story ended. I don’t think it was deserved, and there was nothing uplifting or motivating about it.
I wish there had been more of a tie to the first book with more similar characters. The connection tying the two books together was tenuous at best and seemed more contrived than realistic.
All of that being said, though, it was still a decent book and was a great illustration of how secrets can work from the inside to destroy, but how a little faith and trust can go a long way. If there’s a third in the series, I hope it returns to the tone of the first book.
Author Bio:
Cecilia is an author with a reading addiction — a serious one. She is a lover of wine and all things chocolate, and the proud mother of Babaganoush, an English Bulldog. She is also a recovering lawyer, but asks that you do not hold that against her.
