The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
Between a painful divorce and a brother in trouble, Maisey finds that she has to return home to Fairham Island. She escaped the island and her cold, critical mother years ago, so she's not looking forward to the coming family reunion. It doesn't help that she's also experiencing writer's block and feels that her life is a mess.
Her return gets off to a pretty rocky start when she insists on living in one of the bungalows, which just happens to be far, far away from her mother. The bungalows aren't ideal, but they provide the necessary distance. They do come with the major drawback of including Rafe as a neighbor. Rafe used to be wild and reckless, but now he seems to be more settled and is a great father to his adorable little girl.
Rafe and Maisey have a past, but Rafe isn't deterred. He wants to get to know her all over again. While Maiey isn't looking for a relationship, she can't help but be drawn to this older, more mature version of him, especially when she sees him interact with his daughter. I loved how protective Rafe is!
While Maisey is trying to adjust to her growing feelings for Rafe, she stumbles upon the startling information that she might have had a sister. Knowing that many want to leave the past in the past and let the mystery stay buried, Maisey has to balance her need to know exactly what happened versus her desire for a more normal relationship with her mother.
The Secret Sister is a really good story about a dysfunctional wealthy family and confronting the past. Brenda Novak provides vivid descriptions of the characters and setting so you can easily visualize the island. Ms. Novak also crafts a unique story that pulls you into this family and makes you question what people are capable of.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.