Heather’s Bookshelf: The Sisters
Author: Ruth O’Neill
Released: 10/05/23
Genre: Psychological Suspense Thriller
“She let herself in happily, the key scraping noisily in the front door, already looking forward to the next time they would meet. She ran to the dining room window to watch Joel leave. A huge smile grew, and she remembered the wonderful day they’d just shared.”
“The Sisters” introduces Ava Cressman, a young woman fresh out of a marriage and trying to move forward with her life. She and her ex-husband, Spencer, remain on good terms but she knows she has to find someone new.
Pressured by her sister to join social media, Ava’s surprised when an old college acquaintance messages her. Joel Carney is handsome, charming, single, and interested in her. A first date turns into several and a storybook romance blossoms into requited love. Ava can’t believe how lucky she is and happier than she has been in a long time.
However, when Joel meets Ava’s sister, Tanya, something just doesn’t quite feel right. Tanya keeps showing up and there’s this way that she keeps looking at Joel…
Ava puts aside her concerns when Tanya invites Ava and her twin sister, Belle, on a vacation meant to bring them closer together. But everything is not as it seems and Ava soon finds herself fighting for her life. Will she overcome her insecurities and find out the whole truth before it’s too late?
Trigger Warning: violence, sexual situations, adult language, kidnapping, child abuse, hazing
Overall, I was a little torn by this story, but I couldn’t put it down. It felt like two different books mashed together. The first half focuses on a young woman moving on from a marriage, finding new love, and moving through her insecurities. The second half is completely different! I don’t want to give anything away, but it is a series of events I didn’t see coming and that setup for a tale with a totally different feel and purpose than the first half. The transition between the two halves is essentially non-existent and abrupt. If there would have been more of a lead up or slow burn into the second half, it may have felt a little more believable and connected. A majority of the story is told through the POV of Ava including the entire first half of the book. However, in the second half the POV deviates to include other voices including that of a Detective Inspector. Ava as the lead protagonist is likable overall, though her insecurities and lack of trust in herself are a bit off-putting at times. The ancillary characters of Spencer, Joel, and Tanya are also well-developed with clear motivations and personalities by the end of the story. The combination of strong characters, great pacing, and the “what is going on” factor push this story forward to make it an easy tale to read. The ending wrapped everything up nicely, though I don’t think the epilogue added much. This story certainly kept me flipping pages!
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
An adult thriller that’s seemingly two books morphed into one. Strong characters and excellent pacing push the book forward with a strong “what is happening” element.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Ruth O’Neill
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