My rating: 4 of 5 starsSecret Sister by Emelle Gamble is a 2013 release, published by Soul Mate Publishing. I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Roxanne and Cathy were best friends since they were kids. They were so close in fact, that they were more like sisters. Cathy and Nick were happily married. Nick has had some issues with alcohol in the past, but has been sober for years. He has a troubled sister, Zoe, that is trying to stay straight. But, when tragedy strikes. Cathy, Roxanne, Nick, Zoe, and extended family and friends are thrown off course totally. Everyone has secrets. People you think you know, may not be who you thought they were. Cathy learns things about Roxanne, Nick, and other people on the perimeters of her life, she never knew. Roxanne had always been a stunning beauty that men would kill to be next to. She was also very troubled and had experienced dark bouts of depression. There were many areas of her life that Cathy was unaware of. Now, dealing with both her emotions and Roxanne's she is on a roller coaster ride. Nick, must dig deep, deep, deep into himself to believe in something that just can not be possible. He loves his wife, and wants badly to hold on to what they had, but just can't seem to see what others have seen. As Nick goes from utter despair, to anger, to sympathy, to anger again, to utter disbelief, to surrender, to acceptance, we watch him go through an incredible transformation as well. This is story of true love, a story of seeing beauty from the inside out, and a classic tale of faith. This type of story has been touched on by others in various ways over years. I can think of several examples right off the top of my head, and I'm sure there are countless others. However, this one was a fresh take on a classic love story. I rode the emotional waves of Cathy and Nick and all the other characters in the book. All the characters were flawed in some way, which made them easy to relate to. Putting myself in Nick's shoes I could sympathize with his pain and anger and confusion. Roxanne's mother was a sad character that held dark, explosive secrets. But, the person with the most to lose, was Cathy. She was in the most difficult situation a person could ever imagine themselves in. How on earth could she ever convince Nick to believe her? This book would appeal to lovers of contemporary romance, women's fiction and those that enjoy a touch of paranormal romance. A very absorbing story that will leave you with the feeling that may love can conquer all. Overall this one gets an A.
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