I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
Another well written book from Tracy Buchanan. Two stories set a number of years apart. One of the best things for me was the descriptive narrative which was so well portrayed that I felt like I was there. Excellent characters that kept me gripped to the storyline until the very end.
4.5 stars

The Family Secret is a very well written book. I enjoyed the plot, characters and the author’s writing. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

All families have secrets but some have more than others.
A young women is found wondering on a beach in winter just before Christmas. She has no idea who or where she is and appears to have lost her memory.
Amber finds this young girl and immediately feels an affinity to her and decides to help her.
Little does she know the impact it will have on her and make her come to terms with losses that she has had in her life.
A real heart warming read for cold winters nights.

The Family Secret is a family drama ,cleverly told across two time lines .It is the story of Gwyneth in 1989 and also Lumin in 2009 who is found by Amber on a beach with no memory of how she came to be there or who she is .I really enjoyed this heartwarming story of secrets and lies but also new beginnings ,very good twist at the end .The descriptions were excellent and made me feel I was there .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

The Family Secret is, as the blurb says, a gripping and heartbreaking drama. There’s secrets and lies and a story that will draw you in a keep you enthralled to the very end.

This is the second book I’ve read by Tracy Buchanan and I look forward to reading more.

Thank you yo NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

A wonderful story of love, loss and the human spirit. Two separate women, terribly wounded, spill out their stories as the book goes along. Without giving away any spoilers, let's just say that it is really good!

Enthralling story from the beginning until the last page. Kept me hooked throughout. I love this author’s books. A great storyteller. Look forward to her next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I really loved this book. What a gorgeous read. I love her books and this one is no exception.
I’m looking forward to the next one !
10/10.

Loved this book could not put it down. Great characters & loved the way the story all tied up at the end with no questions left unanswered. Look forward to reading more by this author would recommend this to anyone.

The prologue had me hooked and I honestly could not put it down.
In 2009, Amber still cannot move on after the death of her daughter 10 years previously. Whilst working in her beach side gift shop a young girl with memory loss stumbles along the beach. Together they try to unlock the meaning of the fleeting visions the girl remembers.
In 1989 Gwyneth, a wildlife film maker, narrates how she was saved from drowning by Dylan and how she meets his family in Scotland.
These two story strands are linked by a notebook depicting beautiful wildlife drawings and habitat notations.
This is a great story well written with beautiful locations and characters you can empathise with. I cannot wait to read more books by Tracy.

This was a first read for my by Tracy Buchanan, but I can promise you it will not be my last. I was pleasantly surprised as to how well this story was written and how it all fit together in the end. One of the more amazing books I have read where everything ends up fitting together and I had no clue as to what was going to happen. Very well done Tracy Buchanan.

I don't want to give a summary of this book because I am afraid that now I know how it all is going to end and fit together, I will give something away that will make those that have not read it yet question what is going to happen. I loved all the characters though, even though I got a little frustrated with some of them sometimes, I really did feel like I was a part of this story and living it for myself. Any reader that loves a good story about family will truly enjoy this one. Just give it a chance, you will not be disappointed.

I am asking myself now how it took me so long to finish this one. I had read a little and then daily life got in the way, but if I had known then what I know now, I would have finished it much sooner than what I actually did. This is a great read that you will not regret picking up. I can't wait for more from Tracy Buchanan and I am going to have to go back and catch up on her previous books for sure!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

Another lovely family drama from Tracy Buchanan, I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of her books.
This story centres on two time lines. In 2009, Amber is living a fairly solitary life, trying to make a living out of a gift shop and not having quite got over the death of her young daughter and the end of her marriage. One day while out walking with her Mother and Aunt on the beach, they come across a girl who has no recollection of who she is.
In 1989, Gwyneth is a photographer for a film documentary. She virtually stumbles on the McClusky Family on Christmas Eve, when she is rescued after falling through ice in the loch while trying to film a rare bird.
These two stories weave seamlessly together and at no time did I have trouble deciphering which time frame I was in. Amber takes it on herself to try and help the mystery girl whose name is Lumin, find her identity and together they go on a journey where much more than Lumen’s identity is found.
This was just a lovely easy read, I didn’t guess the end thread of the story at all. At times I did become a little annoyed at Amber and the continual mentioning of her ‘disability’ and the way she often put herself down but on reflection I think that is part of the character’s insecurity.
If you’re looking for a lovely read, with vivid descriptions of the Scottish Highlands during winter, you can’t go wrong with this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read.

I loved this book!!! There were so many secrets between the families. I never expected the ending and would have never guessed. I honestly never saw that coming. I loved the characters, story and writing style. I loved getting to know Amber and Gwyneth and how the book alternated between the two. I kept trying to figure out how their stories would be connected. I also kept wondering what Gwyneth did to be have sent away and to never see her parents again. My biggest question was - who was that girl who had fallen through the ice in beginning of the book????

The book focuses on Amber and Gwyneth. Gwyneth's story begins in 1989. She is a wildlife-documentary-maker who happens to stumble upon the McClusky family one fateful night. Gwyneth has pretty much been on her own since she was fifteen, when her parents sent her away to work at her aunt's hotel. She has never been much for family until she meets Dylan and her life changes. Amber's story takes place in 2009. Amber rescues a young girl she finds on the beach in December. The girl is freezing since she isn't wearing a coat or shoes and has a gash on her head. Even worse she has no memory. Amber connects with the young girl due to a tragic loss in her life. Amber sets off with the girl on a trip to help her gain her memory. Eventually all the secrets are revealed and it isn't what Amber, Gwyneth or the young girl expected.

The ending of the book was amazing. I loved how all the pieces finally fit in place. It wasn't what I expected. I loved all the descriptions of the animals. Especially Duchess the seal and her baby. I felt like the book was a bit of a mystery with Amber trying to solve the identity of the young girl ad some romance. When Gwyneth celebrated her second Christmas with the McClusky family, I really thought they were going to kill her and steal the child. I never trusted that family, they gave off a creepy vibe. After reading this book I definitely know I will never walk over an icy loch(not that I ever planned to).

I definitely recommend this book. I was captivated from the very beginning until the last page. I can't wait to read more books by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author, Tracy Buchanan, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

I received this wonderful book via Netgalley. Well what can I say! It had me gripped from page one! A well written and detailed book, an emotional rollercoaster, with love, losses and laughter. I could visualise every scene as the descriptions were amazing. An immersive read from start to finish! I enjoyed every page and all the characters were a pleasure to meet. Can not wait to read more from Tracy Buchanan.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really enjoyed this book it had some great characters and I shall certainly be looking out for other titles from this author.

“The Family Secret" is a story of how one secret not only effects the family but others close to them. While there are mysteries to be solved, this book is actually more about compelling family drama. This is a well written twisty tale that eventually comes together. It’s also about love, which does not always end happily. I liked the intensity of the book and I loved all the main characters. Amber, Gwyneth and Lumin were amazing, and I love the way their stories were so creatively intertwined. This is a captivating, suspenseful, entertaining novel! This beautiful thriller kept me on the edge of my seat.
The ending was sensational and tied everything together nicely. A very enjoyable read overall. I highly recommend this one. I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Amber, Gywneth, and Lumin are linked- but how? This dual time line novel set in 1989 and 2009 is all about secrets and how they can tumble through time. The novel starts with Amber finding Lumin on the beach. Who is she and why does no one come forward for her? No spoilers. This is a well written twisty tale that eventually comes together. You will root for all three women, who are well drawn. Some of the others, well you might not like them so much. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I found this novel initially slow to start but decided to persevere and I am so glad I did! The depictions of both an out-of-season seaside town and the Scottish highlands were effective and vivid, the plot was well constructed and the final denouement unexpected. A very satisfying read overall.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
I've read and purchased several of Tracy Buchanan's books and have enjoyed all of them.
"The Family Secret" is a story of how one secret not only effects the family but others close to them. If the family hadn't kept the secret, then what might have happened? We all look back at some things we've done and said, "what if" or "if only."
Interesting read even though I wished the ending was a little different.

This book is impossible to put down. While there are definitely mysteries to be solved this book is really more about compelling family drama. It’s also about love, which does not always end happily ever after. Amber is a wonderful protagonist. She has lost the use of one hand but is a very strong and feisty character. She finds herself drawn to this girl with no memory of who she is or how she got here. As their story is unfolding in the present we also have flashbacks that involve Gwyneth who is a wildlife filmmaker. I’m usually annoyed by flashbacks but in this case the alternating POV and timeline works well. Personally I did prefer the Amber narrations to Gwyneth but Gwyneth’s we’re still very interesting as she finds herself drawn into a tight knit family in Scotland. The author had wonderful secondary characters that fleshed out the story. After finishing this I immediately went looking to read more of her books because I was so impressed with this one.