The Secret Lives of Sisters by Linda Kelsey

When there are two sisters one always seems to be somewhat in the shadow of the other and so it was with Cat and Hannah. Cat is flamboyant, fun and obviously her mother's favourite but Hannah is quiet and her parents used to ask has Cat got your tongue? Time doesn't always cure the problem either. Hannah now has a daughter of her own and it's Melissa's wedding day but it looks as though Cat's sharp tongue might ruin the day despite Hannah's attempts to make it a day to remember for all the right reasons.

All families have histories but it seems that this family has more than most. Hannah's partner, David, died in a car crash some twenty years before and she'd felt no need of a sexual relationship in the meantime. She had a successful career, two children and the support of Mavis, who used to work for the family when Hannah was a child. It's when Mavis makes an appearance at the wedding that Cat lets her anger show. Why does she remember Mavis as her tormentor whilst Hannah remembers her with such affection?

I enjoyed this book despite the fact that I never really warmed to the central character, Hannah Saunders. I could empathise with much about her but I could never really reconcile some of her actions with the idea that she was actually a successful and reasonably wealthy businesswoman in her own right. This did require something of a suspension of belief. I warmed most to Mavis, the poorly educated maid who was perhaps too partial to the younger child, compensating for the mother who favoured the older child – when she gave them any attention at all.

If you're looking for a good holiday read than this book could well suit. It's not great literature – but then that's unlikely to be what you want. It will perhaps appeal more to the older woman than the younger but the unravelling of the family history makes for a good story with some quite sharp twists to surprise you.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

If this sort of book appeals to you then you might also enjoy Other People's Husbands by Judy Astley

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