Growling up Cassandra and Lucas have an unorthodox upbringing with their mother and a handful of misfit lodgers.

Something happens to Cassandra that will affect her all her life. Could her mother have prevented this from happening?

A beautifully written book with strong characters who rally round and care for each other. At times I found myself laughing and tearful, a proper mixed bag of emotions!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review

This is a beautifully told wonderful story. I was hooked from the start. I laughed and cried my way through it. I loved everything about this book. I really like that there are some of the authors memories mixed in with the story. It made everything seem even more real. This is a book that I will remember for a long time and I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Cassandra Fitzpatrick doesn't come from a conventional home. She, along with her brother Lucas live with their mother and a host of other roommates. Due to Cass's moms welcoming anyone. There's a person at any given time, referred to as the Lodger, who lives in the basement. Uncle Rupert and Greta, the mother's friend to name a few.

Cass's mother suffered from mental illness, which requires everyone to pull together during these times. When not in a depression, Cass's mom, is a free spirit, the life of the home and often throwing parties for any occasion. Despite references to wanting Cass and Lucas to have their own lives, there are often undertones to keep the children at her beck and call. Often seeking comfort with strange men, but never married.

After Cass has a terrible experience with someone, and her mother tosses the individual out of the home. Cass has trouble coping and her mother sends her to a boarding school. Cass does well and feels that she's past the experience.

When Cass's mother announces that she is expecting, Cass and Lucas are not happy. Once Octavia is born, Cass and Lucas fall in love with her. Much like with Cass and Lucas, Octavia has no named father. The entire household helps raise the baby.

When Cass gets word of a tragedy, and returns home to help support her mother, her life takes a different turn. She seeks out to become a nurse, but finds the past haunting her on many fronts.

Despite the dysfunction of the family environment, I loved how the author gave the reader the knowledge of how close knit Cass and Lucas were with their mother. Cass and Lucas were more of caregivers at times to their mother; whereas, the mother was more of a friend to her children, but she loved them. Cass came into her own little by little, and it was no surprise the man she fell in love with, considering how much Cass wanted a father figure in her life. Enjoyable read!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley via Sapere Books in exchange for an honest review.

Frances Garrood has the knack of making you think you are reading an easy book but tackles difficult subjects so well. Cassandra's life is definitely not conventional. Not only does her mother not believe in marriage, she doesn't seem to believe in fathers either. Cassandra and her brother are used to a steady stream of lodgers and waifs & strays living with them.
When Cassandra wins a scholarship to a prestigious school she finds herself missing home more than she thought she would. Tragedy strikes though and her family's lives will never be the same.
We follow Cassandra from childhood to adulthood and it is a joy. So many scenarios are explored death, sickness, abuse. What I really did love though were the more subtle elements like Cassandra's brother changing as he grew older and turned into a married man. Just so typical of many families.

Cassandras Secret is a great tale of a woman who lives life by her own rules and raises two children with few if any rules. It is the story of love and connection between a mother and her daughter.

No matter what is going on in the seemingly chaotic home of Cassandra and her family, there is one thing that can be depended upon is the love that a mother feels for her children. In some aspects it can be considered of triumph over adversity and the return to love.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It evoked a lot emotions in me by the actions of the mother, Cassandra and her brother Lucas. The characters are highly relatable. I think everyone will recognize each of the characters in someone they know. I generally don't consider comparisons to other authors but The comparison to Jojo Moyes is spot on.

I highly recommend this book.

I can't say I loved this book but I really did enjoy reading it. It was unconventional and quirky, like it's characters. All of the characters in this book to be more exact. I can't even imagine growing up in this household. You can see how it shaped the main character's life and how she was a completely different person than her brother. So many things going against her but she grew up to be a strong very independent woman. I don't want to say too much but it was the ending that I loved the most. History has a way of repeating itself, in a good way in this case.

I love reading books that are character driven and this one definitely is. Some of the characters' stories are heartbreaking and heartwarming. I loved how the characters looked out for one another. Definitely recommend.

Exquisitely written, this book is by far one of the best I've read in a very long while. Full of quirky humour, fabulous description and totally believable characters, this read will be a really hard one to follow. Outstanding.