Member Reviews
A story about two identical twins living very different lives - Ellie a successful business woman, happily married, popular, beautiful and intelligent. Tia, by her looks almost indistinguishable from her sister, but total opposite reagarding her personality and lifestyle. The two sisters are tied only by genetics and monthly letters Ellie is writing to Tia, but due to circumtances Tia´s life merges with Ellie´s and everything starts to spin out of control.
I liked the plot and the flow, it reads like a very intense movie, I could see the story being played out on a screen. As I liked Laura Marshall´s Friend Request its logical I like this one, as it has very similar vibes. Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the free copy and thank you Valerie Keogh for the wild ride.
This was a great psychological thriller with unreliable characters which made the mystery and the twists even better. The end was jaw dropping!
I really enjoyed this book.
4.5- What a unique storyline. From the first time I read the description I could not help but feel pulled into the intrigue. What do the letters say? What secrets and surprises do they hide? and why is it a matter of possible life and death and whose? Wow such a fantastic developing plot, and so much unexpected twists and surprises. Thank you NetGalley.
Ooh, that blurb really drew me in and made me want to read this book. I was so intrigued by the letters, what was in them and why they needed to be burned after reading. But I have to say that the story itself is about so much more than the letters and the real importance of them only becomes clear as the story progresses.
Ellie and Will are living happily together. They're hoping to have a baby although that's proving harder than high-flyer Ellie anticipated. She has a twin sister, Tia, who is 'differently abled' and after many years apart, the sisters find themselves thrown together again. Ellie finds this hard - being identical twins, she feels like she is losing her own identity all over again.
Now, I don't want to go into any more of the story as it's very clever and I don't want to spoil it for new readers. What I will say is that I kept putting my hand over my mouth as I was reading, as a dawning sense of horror at what was happening came over me.
The fact that I saw the major plot twists coming a mile off didn't make any difference to me. I wanted, no needed, to know what was going to happen to the three of them and was what I thought right. Was that really what was happening here? That's what I needed to find out.
I found Secrets Between Us to be a real page turner. I felt a growing sense of unease along with at least one of the characters and was gripped by the story. I felt like an onlooker, peeping through the curtains into this domestic noir, thrilled by the three characters and the dynamic between them. A great read from start to finish.
This was an interesting (with all its pluses and minuses) more drama than psychological thriller and it kept my attention until I finished it in 2 days.
It is a story about identical twins, one is living with her husband and is rich and the other is living in a special institution for the developmentally challenged for 15 years. The institution is planning to close its doors, so Tia invites Ellie to live with her and her husband...from there on there are new developments but I wont write more because I don't want to write spoilers.
All in all it was ok read
Secrets Between Us was a novel that although I had guessed the plot before it happened I still enjoyed it.
This book centres on two sisters that are twins, Ellie is successful in her career, married but struggling to get pregnant and Tia who is not disabled but is slower at everyday life than her sister so has to live in accommodation that allows for a carer to check in on her and help her. The place where Tia lives is closing so Ellie reluctantly agrees to accommodate her even though she hasn’t been to see her for years but has still sent a letter a week to her.
The book follows the ups and downs of the two sisters trying to reconnect. I found this an enjoyable easy read that didn’t require too much thinking and at rimes these are the books I love to read just to relax with not much brain power! I liked all three characters, even Ellie’s husband and at the start I wasn’t keen on him but it became a case of he couldn’t do right from wrong although I think Ellie was far too soft with him!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve got to say I loved this cover the minute I saw it and the blurb sealed my need to read this psychological thriller. It grabbed me with the minimal of effort with the simplicity of it and yet there was the intrigue that totally piqued my interest! Did the letters get burnt?!? What did they say?
Is Tia to be trusted? She seemed all sweet and innocent but sometimes it’s the quiet ones you have to watch right!?! Ellie’s obviously perturbed by some of the looks Tia gives her. But I questioned whether it was just Ellie’s jealousy of her sister getting the attention. I really didn’t know who to trust! Ellie is far from whiter than white when it comes to plotting!
The whole book is packed with tension. I didn’t know whether to trust Tia or was it just Ellie jealous of her sister having the one thing she couldn’t have! Twins should be the closet set of siblings but these two definitely aren’t.
The final third was a race to the finish, I felt like Usain Bolt as I clicked through the pages, glued to my kindle. Valerie Keogh has written a great psychological thriller that made my eyes widen with each page as sibling rivalry is taken to a whole new level!
Where to start with this book? It was shocking and twisty and apart from Ellie, I did not like the other characters, their actions and demeanour were awful and in some cases chilling!
Ellie is happily married to Will, they want to have a family, well he does more than her, but a catalyst of events occur and there is a heartbreak and there is a fresh start. What Will did not realise is that Ellie is a twin, identical in fact to Tia. Ellie is Tia’s legal guardian as she lives in a home due to her mental abilities, and Ellie writes to her once a week on a Friday. The highlight of Tia’s week, but that all changes when the home has to close and Tia has to live with Ellie and Will.
Now I guessed how this would end, but not how we would get to the end, and some of the events chilled me. God this review is going to be hard to write, I read the book blind, in which I forgot the blurb and went with it. The wrong choice of words here could spoil it. I mean the final words of the book sent a chill to my core, how could no one in the book see it!
This book kept me up until 1 am reading because quite frankly I had to know how it would end, despite my guessing! And also because the actions were just damn right crazy! This is a book that will make you look at people twice and probably not trust them! I want to say so much more but I blinking cannot! I felt empathy for Ellie, but also wanted to give her a bloody good shake! Will, he was likeable and then I would have shown him the door. And Tia, the less said the better.
The final lines in the book will chill you, maybe even the last line and it may leave you unsettled or even leave you screaming because of the need to find out more. This reminded me of car crash tv where you cannot take your eyes away in case you missed something and you had to know what would happen next!
Identical twins. They've been apart for 15 years with one of them, Tia, living in a home for the Differently Abeled and the other, Ellie, an executive who is married to Will living a lovely life. All is well and, in fact, Ellie's been sending letters to Tia all those years, when suddenly she and Will get the bad news that St. Germaine's school is closing and Tia has to be relocated. Unable to find a placement for Tia, Ellie and Will reluctantly agree to have her move into their house until another residential care facility can be found. An obvious mistake and that's when the real trouble begins. NO SPOILERS but there's a lot more between Ellie and Will that plays into it all.
This is definitely a domestic drama that requires a lot of suspension of disbelief and also the willingness to continue reading when you've already dissected the whole plot at the first whiff of the words, "Tia is moving in with us." I read on, hoping that I was mistakenly jumping to predictable conclusions, but alas, it was exactly as I expected and I was quite disappointed though I did finish. I didn't like any of the characters and their decisions and actions were completely the opposite of any way I would have behaved. I think the writing style was fine, it was just the plot that missed the mark for me. I should have believed some of the reviews but I always like to form my own opinions.
I'd still take a chance on another book written by this author but hope for more originality next time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I'm sorry it wasn't my cup of tea.
A huge fast paced eerie start to this book kept me turning pages furiously. Valerie Koegh did a great job creating memorable characters that draw you in and coerce you to support and empathize with their plights. It's difficult not to empathize with Ellie. A successful, determined, career minded woman with her life seemingly under control finds out that she is not able to bare children...one thing not in her control. But the reason she isn't able to have children will be a shock factor so I'll leave that for you to read and find out... Meanwhile, Ellie's husband is a loyal hardworking man who loves his wife dearly and is devastated but supportive of their currently childless situation. It's difficult not to be a fan of his too. Until... (I'll let you figure that one out too...) THEN.... there's Tia, Ellie's twin who was left to grown up in a home for the "differently abled" for her entire life. She never once had a visit from her sister Ellie. (Even though Ellie wrote her letters each week). The reason for Ellie's resistance in having a relationship with her sister??? Well... I'll also leave that one for you to read and determine as well! Life comes to a haltingly unexpected stop as they all know it when Tia's group home closes down for good. Ellie is her legal guardian. (You can put two and together there!) After this cast of characters lives crash together like a freight train out of control, you won't believe what secrets they share! You won't believe how they choose to harbor them, handle them, and keep them! If I'm completely honest, I've read mixed reviews about this book. I am SO glad I went with my gut instinct and dove in! The story was fast, creepy, and riveting. If you're looking for a quick read that will have you engrossed for hours... this is it!
Today I'm pleased to be sharing my review of Secrets Between Us as part of the blog tour. It's written with thanks to Noelle at Bookouture for inviting me on the tour and for my copy of the book via Netgalley.
Ellie Armstrong appears to have it all: a successful career, a loving husband and a beautiful home. But when she receives a letter saying that her sister's accommodation has been closed, her life is turned upside down. She invites Tia to live with her and her husband, and her arrival brings a host of secrets to light. What have they been hiding from each other?
Although they are identical twins, Ellie and Tia are very different. Ellie is focused and ruthless, whereas Tia's disability makes her more gentle and naive. I felt more sympathetic towards Tia and at times I wanted to shake Ellie for the way she wrapped her in cotton wool, but both characters were very well developed and the relationship between them brought an undercurrent of tension that characterised the whole novel.
Secrets Between Us is a very fast paced novel and Keogh is constantly throwing curveballs at the reader which kept me asking questions, wondering where she would take me next. Almost all of the characters have something to hide, which meant I was always kept on my toes!
The ending of Secrets Between Us is quite open and it raises yet more questions for the reader. I am still thinking about it now and it will stay with me for some time to come.
Absolutely wonderful! A book I shall definitely be recommending to everyone! I read a lot of books but this story was original and absolutely amazing and will stay with me. Highly recommended. A well deserved five stars!
I found this to be more a domestic drama than a psychological thriller. That in itself wouldn't have been an issue but it was incredibly obvious right from the start that there was only one way this story would end. It's a well-paced and quick read but unfortunately way too predictable and I struggled to finish it.
I was happy to receive this book, as the premise sounded really good, yet between reading the blurb and the first couple of chapters, it seemed quite obvious to me what was going to happen in this book. I pressed on anyway, hoping for a killer twist, but unfortunately it was not to be.
The book sees Ellie, a happily married corporate high-flyer, having to deal with her identical twin sister coming to live with her. Tia, however, is slightly "simple" (Ellie's words, not mine), and has been living in assisted living, but has to go elsewhere when the shelter she is in closes. Ellie can't find anything similar for her, so has to let her come to her home. I wont go into any further details as I don't want to give away the plot to any that might want to read it, but really, it's so transparent even someone as "simple" as Tia could work it out quickly.
It's an ok, quick read, yet there is no suspense and it definitely isn't thrilling. If you're looking for edge of your seat nail biters, it's probably best to look elsewhere. 2.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Touted as "a jaw-dropping psychological thriller," Secrets Between Us, unfortunately, fails to hit the mark and falls flat. The synopsis, cover art and tagline are all incredibly misleading and bear no relation to the plot contained within the pages. This is a domestic/family drama and in no way resembles a thriller. Moving on from that, I found that I had everything figured out by the time I reached the 10% mark and feel that even those who don't regularly consume these type of novels will also easily pick up on what is set to happen. Admittedly, I carried on reading in the hope that I was either wrong with my predictions or, at the least, there would be some redeeming features. Unfortunately, my hope was in vain.
All of the characters are narcissistic, cold and calculating, and they are certainly very unlikeable. However, Keogh's is an adept writer and with a less predictable plot could be successful. Much of the story is so far-fetched that I simply couldn't overlook the lack of believability. Those who can suspend their disbelief would be most suited to Secrets Between Us. There are also rather a lot of plot holes but revealing them would spoil it for potential readers. If you enjoy slow-burning family dramas then you may like this, but if you're looking for a thriller you best look elsewhere.
Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end.
Well written which kept me captivated throughout.
I will definitely be reading other books by this author
Review : 3 Stars
This is a light read that does not consume the reader fully! I would not classify this as a thriller really, it is more of a domestic drama. The plot is predictable, pretty much from get go there are no twists that even a novice reader won't be able to predict. If you are looking for a quick easy read then this is a good pick.
All the characters are very self-centered and unlikeable. They make questionable choices many times all through the story. They are very calculating and do not behave like a real family or even a real couple. There are a quite a few loopholes in the plot that made me unable to rate this book better. I do not understand why Ellie would send weekly letters to Tia but not take the time to meet her even once in 15 years! There isn’t enough mentioned about their past to justify the resentment that Ellie holds perpetually for Tia. I also could not understand why Tia had to burn/shred the letters. Despite all this I wanted to keep reading, I give credit the author's writing that makes a reader want to read something that they can predict fairly well. The ending, while being something predictable, helps wrap the story up nicely explaining to the reader the how and the why.
I do think the book needs a little more editing since the basic premise of the dynamics between the characters is established quickly and some of the details and instances do not really sway your opinion one way or the other.
The title really does not do the book any justice because there are no secrets really between them that are central to the plot. The publisher needs to work on the blurbs and descriptions because they are misleading. When the description/synopsis is so different from the actual plot, it causes dissatisfaction to the reader which
leads to a lower rating for a book simply because it does not meet the expectations that are set.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley, #SecretsBetweenUs
Also shared on: https://romasharma.blogspot.com
This is a very well written book. It is a cleverly written plot and well thought out. Unfortunately I guessed the ending near the beginning of the book and that spoilt my enjoyment of it. I don't want to give away any spoilers. I just felt that it was too predictable. I didn't like any of the characters either.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.
The story of Ellie and her twin sister, Tia. Tia has lived most of her life in an institution for people with learning difficulties. She has received letters from Ellie once a week for the last 15 years, but Ellie has very rarely visited her. When the institution announces it is closing, Ellie as Tia’s guardian has to find her someone else to live. Ellie’s husband, Will suggests that Tia lives with them, but neither of them realise how life-changing this will become.
I loved this book! It was my first book by this author and what a book to start on! Twins have always seemed fascinating to me, but identical twins seem to be a whole different ball game! Obviously Ellie and Tia are identical twins, but Ellie hasn’t visited Tia for years. Ellie seemed happy to be separated from her twin, which did seem strange to me as I had always assumed that twins, particularly identical, would be so close. Ellie also seemed to think that as the years had passed that perhaps they were slightly different now they were older, but this obviously wasn’t the case when she meets Tia to bring her home.
I have to admit I did like Ellie’s character. She seemed quite a confident and beautiful woman, but it did become apparent that she had some secrets which she’d managed to keep hidden for years. We all know that big old secrets in books like these never stay secrets for long, so I was furiously reading as fast as I could to find out what these were! Tia was a different story! I wouldn’t say it was a complete dislike of the character, but there was something about her that gave me the heebie-jeebies and at times made me feel really uncomfortable! I did empathise with both of them at some points in the story, for different reasons for both of them. As the story moved on though, it became apparent that, despite Ellie’s attempts to not be identical, they were both so very alike, for reasons which I won’t go into for fear of spoilers!
The storyline flew along at a great pace and it felt like at times I didn’t come up for air! I was so engrossed in the book that I found myself sitting in a dark room on my own as I hadn’t realised the lights weren’t on and my husband and son had took themselves off elsewhere! They may have told me they were going to do this, but I didn’t hear them…..the only thing I was interested in was Ellie and Tia’s story! I wouldn’t say there were any major twists or turns throughout the book, and to be honest I guessed some of it as I was going along, but none of that really mattered. The plot was really strong and the story was well thought out. It held my attention for hours at a time and I could be heard shouting out ‘No!’ and ‘I knew it!’ at random points throughout the book! I always know when I read a good book as I always end up retelling the story to my husband as I read to see how he thinks it will finish!
A deliciously chilling thriller with bucket loads of suspense and tension! This one will definitely keep you hooked until the very last page! Would definitely recommend!
Ellie and Will are happily married and looking forward to having a child when they find out that Ellie's twin sister needs to come stay with them. I could not get past the overly obvious plot of the book to enjoy it. By 5% of my way into the story, I knew exactly what was going to happen and spent the next 60% of the book reading the slow path to what I already knew. Thankfully, I thought, at that point something happened. But again, where this new plot was leading was extremely obvious as well. In the author's defense, I can't figure out how this same book could have been written without being so obvious.