A Family of Strangers is the story of family and the story of secrets. All her life, Ryan could never live up to her perfect sister Wendy's achievements. Yet when Wendy calls out of the blue from her perfect life and asks Ryan to care for her 2 daughters while she sorts out some issues -- a possible murder accusation -- Ryan begins to wonder if there are secrets behind the perfect life of her sister. As she tries to help her sister, she finds more than she bargained for.

My favorite characters throughout the book were Ryan and Theo. I enjoyed their relationship as well as their history. I also enjoyed the relationship between Ryan and the girls and how that developed through the course of the novel.

This was the first book by Emilie Richards that I have read. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It kept my interest and honestly, I could not put it down. There was mystery, there was suspense, and there was family drama. What was there not to like?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this title. All comments and thoughts are my own and were given freely.

This mystery sucked me in from the first page. In this story, we meet Ryan, who is the shadow to her big sister Wendy. The vast age difference between the two left them as strangers. Never measuring up to her sister, she is surprised when Wendy calls her for help. She has been accused of murder and she needs Ryan to take care of her two children. Ryan, as a true-crime podcaster, has some detective skills and uses them to find out what happened.
Perhaps, even more, greater than this is the relationship that Ryan has with her nieces. Virtually strangers, they must work to build a relationship and the trust that it takes to count on one another.
It was an amazing read.

A Family of Strangers by Emilie Richards

I ended up really liking this book, At first I wondered if I would be able to wade through nearly five hundred pages and what there could be to write about BUT it all flowed easily and was a delight to read.

Ryan Rose Gracey receives an unexpected call for help from her older sister. Being on a break between true crime podcast seasons she is available to go take care of her sister’s daughters until her sister returns. It is a bit of a daunting task since she doesn’t know the six and eight year old and they, at first, are not easy. As she begins to research the situation that her sister mentioned in the phone call she unearths a number of secrets and stumbles on some mysteries. While her sister stays away from home Ryan becomes invested in her nieces, rekindles a relationship that ended four years previously and gets to know her family in an entirely new light.

This is a complex, well-plotted, intense story that kept me invested from beginning to end. If there is anything I might have liked that was not in the book is an epilogue...I would love to know how the characters fare a few years in the future.

What I liked:
* Ryan Rose’s tenacity and big heart
* Teo Santiago – what a wonderful book boyfriend he was
* Sophie – the woman that works with Ryan, is her sounding board and good friend
* The Gracey parents – they grew on me as the story unfolded
* Noelle and Holly – I loved them, felt for them and hoped their lives would all work out eventually
* The relationship between Ryan and Teo
* Bismark – Biz was a WONDERFUL dog!

What I did not like:
* The secrets kept within the family
* The evil person I was meant to dislike

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Mira for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

I've been reading Emilie Richards book for probably close to 20 years and every time I pick one up I know I'm in for an emotional and enjoyable read. This lived up to my expectation with a little bit of a twist. While I expect characters I immediately connect with I wasn't really expecting the touch of suspense which was quite a welcome surprise. I loved Ryan's job and the references to investigating cold cases as she and her colleague tried to figure out just what was going on with Wendy.



The emotional elements that I expect from Richards were still very much present as Ryan wrestled with her relationships with her parents, sister, and nieces. I also enjoyed that Holly and Noelle weren't the perfect friendly children that are so often portrayed in fiction. They have zero interest in making things easy for Ryan and something seems very much wrong with them.



I've really enjoyed Richards' books in the past but I think this one was probably my favorite. I absolutely loved the addition of the mystery and it kept me up late into the night completely wrapped up in the story.

A FAMILY OF STRANGERS, a good murder mystery and reunited lovers’ theme, leaves the reader with one unasked question – would you do the same thing if faced with this situation?

Ryan Rose Gracey is celebrating the success of her cold case podcast she co-produces with her friend Sophie when she receives an urgent call from her older sister. Wendy believes she’s a murder suspect, wrongly accused, and needs Ryan to take care of her daughters while she hides until the situation calms down.

As the evidence stacks up, and Ryan learns more about her sister, I couldn’t stop asking myself – what if this was me? Ryan has support with her investigation from the podcasts’ staff and contacts, but her biggest ally is her former boyfriend, Teo Santiago and his dog Bismarck. The pair had once saved her life – will they need to do it again?

Ryan feels like she has lived her whole life within her older sister’s shadow. Even though Wendy wasn’t around much during Ryan’s formative years, she always felt like her parents favored Wendy. That’s why she’s shocked when Wendy asks her to take care of her two daughters while her husband is serving their country.

Sure – Ryan is the most likely person to track down evidence for Wendy, but they’ve never been close enough for Ryan to know much at all about her life or her children. Meanwhile, Ryan must keep Wendy’s secret from their parents, Wendy’s young daughters, and her frequently absent submarine commander husband. All while taking care of these two sad children she hardly knows during the holidays.

Coming home has benefits as well as added stressors. Ryan’s dad is recovering from heart surgery and can’t be told his oldest daughter is in hiding. The same daughter he hopes will be his replacement when he retires from the company he owns. Mom seems withdrawn from Ryan, not knowing why her favorite daughter turned to her sister for help instead of her parents.

Then there’s Teo and Bismarck – the man and dog who saved Ryan’s life years ago and never left her heart. Will reuniting with Teo be what Ryan needs, or just more stress to add to her already full plate?

A good story, this novel explores what you assume about your family is not always reality. Ryan is much more complex as the main character than I expected at the beginning. There were several moments when I thought she was gullible, but she didn’t let that be my last thought. She kept her investigator antenna up, and her suspect list wide enough to discover the truth.

For the most part, I found the story to be believable and consistent. I did doubt and question everyone’s ability to keep the situation from Ryan and Wendy’s father. As the head of a corporation, I felt he should be asking more questions, even though he was told to relax by his doctor. I also wondered why no one at his company reached out to him or his wife regarding Wendy. Who was running the company in his absence? But that was such a small part in an otherwise exciting journey to the conclusion.

The end was some parts expected with some shockers mixed in with the obvious. I was proud of Ryan’s sense of righteousness. But I still had to wonder – would I do the same? Would you?

My favorite part of this book were the characters. I really enjoyed Ryan and Teo’s relationship. They had history and a past to forgive, but their attraction was undeniable. The dog was a fun addition, especially when interacting with Ryan’s nieces, Noelle and Holly. At six and eight-years-old, they stole each scene they were in and tugged at my heart. Bestie Sophie was a good sidekick, making Ryan think outside the box. At almost 500 pages, there were many well-drawn characters that made this book flow, pulling my attention back to the book as soon as I could sneak in a few more minutes of reading. Great entertainment overall.

I’ve been a fan of author Emilie Richards’ talent since I read ONE MOUNTAIN AWAY, book one in the GODDESSES ANONYMOUS series. I had no expectations for A FAMILY OF STRANGERS, but it did have a different feel from the GODDESSES ANONYMOUS books.

I was surprised at the depth of this mystery in comparison to the emotion in Richards’ books I’ve previously read. There is still plenty of emotion within these pages, but the book focuses more on crime solving and how twisted relationships can occur in our minds compared to reality. This family is complicated with great surprises woven into the mystery.

An intriguing story, this novel is the perfect book club selection because it will generate interesting discussion about good vs. evil. And where we would each draw the line between them. Mystery lovers will enjoy this one. A FAMILY OF STRANGERS opened my eyes to the broad strokes of talent within Emilie Richards’ style.

Review by Dorine, courtesy of TheZestQuest.com.

A sign of a fabulous book to me is one that keeps you up way past your bedtime and then won't let you fall asleep because you keep thinking about it. This is exactly what happened to me when I was reading A Family of Strangers by Emilie Richards. I was very surprised to find a book by Emilie Richards that was more suspense/mystery than women's fiction. From the beginning pages, I was pulled into the story line of this book. Ryan Gracey, a true crime podcaster, receives a disturbing call from her sister Wendy who is 17 years her senior. Wendy asks her to watch her two daughters who are 4 hours away while she goes into hiding for awhile since she's worried that she's going to be a suspect in a recent murder. Ryan reluctantly agrees despite not knowing her two nieces or her sister very well. One of the hardest parts of this assignment for Ryan is not letting her parents know what is really going on since her dad is recovering from a major surgery. What follows for Ryan is a crash course into motherhood as well as an eye opening experience into dissecting her seemingly perfect sister's life. The circumstances that follow will force Ryan to come face to face with her past as well as open a Pandora's Box of family secrets that she never knew existed. I loved all of the twists and turns of this book and was impressed with all of the tactics that Ryan used to track down people throughout the book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of A Family of Strangers to read. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinions of the book.

Ryan Gracey was never close to her much older sister Wendy. So, when she gets a desperate plea from Wendy for Ryan to take care of her daughters, needless to say, Ryan is shocked. Even more shocking is the reason that Wendy needs Ryan's help. Wendy tells Ryan that there has been a murder and that she might be the most likely suspect, so she has to disappear. What else can Ryan do but tend to the girls?

Ryan is much more than an aunt. She is acting as a stand-in mother. The girls father works at sea, and Ryan and Wendy's father is recuperating from surgery, so their mother needs to care for him. Ryan isn't content just to care for the girls. She wants answers from Wendy, but those answers do not come easy. Ryan is a a true-crime podcaster and excels in investigative skills. This comes in handy as she seeks to discover Wendy's whereabouts and what mystery and secrets that Wendy might be hiding.

What an excellent story. There are a lot of dynamics explored here. Not only does Ryan get to know her nieces, but she gets a chance to reconcile with her parents. She also learns something about her past that is truly shocking. Ryan's friend and partner in the podcasting was a nice addition. Another nice layer to this story is that Ryan meets up with an old beau and sparks begin to fly again.

This is the first book that I have read by Emilie Richards and I must say that I am impressed. A Family of Strangers masterfully delivered mystery, secrets, romance, family atmosphere and a touching conclusion.

Many thanks to Mira and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received this book "A Family of Strangers" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. I really liked this book and looked forward to reading it each day. I must say that I was never bored reading this book. The story took unexpected turns and you never knew what was coming next. I liked the characters, especially Biz, cause who doesn't love German Shepherds? Well done!

ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ. ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ. ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ.

Emily Richards has crafted a clever and engaging domestic drama. This book sucked me in in the first few pages. There’s just something about Ryan that drew me in. Perhaps it was that she was a true crime podcaster? Or perhaps it was that she was a bit of an underdog? The younger sister to perfect big sis Wendy. As absorbing as the mystery was I think what I found most captivating about this book were the characters and the relationship Dynamics. My favorite of these being Ryan‘s relationship with her nieces Holly and Noelle (Guess what month they were born in). These little girls had obviously been damaged and Ryan was so committed to making their lives better. There also was a bit of a romance in this book, a second chance romance my favorite kind! The relationship between Ryan and Teo was so sweet I was really rooting for them to get back together. This book really had a dash of everything... a genre potpourri. A dollop of mystery, a dose of domestic drama, and a peppering of romance. The perfect recipe for an engaging and delightful summer read.

Ryan has always lived in her big sister Wendy’s shadow. So she is super surprised when Wendy calls her and asks a huge favor. Can Ryan go and take care of her two young children? It looks as though Wendy is suspected of murder. But how can this be? How can perfect Wendy be involved in murder? So Ryan packs her bags to go look after her nieces and uses her sleuthing skills to figure out what in the world is going on. The closer Ryan gets to her nieces and figuring out what Wendy’s hiding the more she realizes she really never knew her sister at all. “A Family of Strangers” was such an appropriate title for this book. I don’t think Ryan really ever understood the relationship between herself, her parents, and her sister, because there were so many secrets. This was my first book from Emily Richards but it definitely will not be my last. She has such a smooth engaging writing style that really made the 400 some odd pages of this book flyby.

🎧🎧🎧 Vanessa Johansson narrated the story brilliantly. She really brought the characters to life. This was a longer audio (14 hours) and I was completely engaged throughout thanks to the wonderful story and amazing narration.

*** thank you so much Harlequin and Harper Audio for my copy of this book ***

Family of Strangers:
Part domestic fiction with a bit of a thriller element mixed in, Emilie Richards novel explores the complexities of those we call family and how well we really know those bound to us by blood. When Ryan receives a call from her sister, Wendy, that she needs to hide out for a bit and asks Ryan to come take care of her kids to avoid becoming a murder suspect, Ryan goes to help. Operating a true crime podcast herself, Ryan seeks to find out what is going on with her sister and how she can bring her home.

What worked for me:
Exploration of the various relationships in the novel: Sisters, parent and child, former romantic relationship
Behind the scenes of Ryan’s podcast and the co-workers we get to meet

What wasn’t my favorite:
The story held my attention and was certainly intriguing but at 491 pages, 150 of them could have been cut out to tell this story

Verdict: 3.5 stars

Emile Richards is a new-to-me author. I have my favorites, of course, and if you follow any of my reviews, it’s pretty obvious who my automatic 1-click authors are. But like all things in life, variety is never a bad thing, so I’m usually game to read authors that I’ve never read before. And this book was certainly NOT a bad thing!

I love a good romantic suspense book. And that subgenre is not something that everyone does well. With that said, in my opinion, Emile Richards did very well with A Family of Strangers. Even though I had a couple of the puzzles figured out long before the end of the story, there was still one twist that I didn’t see coming. And being able to surprise me with a twist at the end is definitely the mark of a really good romantic suspense book!

The character developments were a slow roll which absolutely added to the suspense. Little by little, the author slowly pieced each character together, all the while leaving just enough crumbs at the end of each chapter to reel you in further. Little facets here and there emerged just enough to keep me reading because I really wanted to know what made them all tick. None of the characters are truly who they seem to be on the surface when they are first introduced. And just when I was fully invested in learning about the characters, the author hooked me with enough clues to solve the bigger puzzle of the whodunnit.

NICUnurse’s Rating: I honestly could have devoured this book in a day had I not had a house full of guests for a week. And as much as I love my family, I was almost annoyed when I was required to put the book down and be social! So for romantic suspense lovers, I highly recommend diving into this story. With wonderfully deep characters, the main suspense that will leave you guessing, and a slew of side stories that hook you even further, you might not want to start reading just before you go to bed! All in all, I give A Family of Strangers by Emile Richards 4.75 out of 5 stars!

This was a great read. For me, it started off kind of slow, however, relegating more I read, the more I couldn’t put it down. This is a page turner and keeps you on your toes!

Family of Strangers
My thanks to #NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Ryan Gracey thinks she has her life together. She produces a successful podcast and she keeps her dysfunctional family at a distance—until that fateful day her much older sister calls and mysteriously drags her into a web of deceit and murder. Ryan uses her penchant for sleuthing and soon finds herself drawn into her sister’s secret life—and finds out her whole family has secrets they have been keeping. This is a nice little mystery that keeps a pleasant pace as it unravels secrets one by one. This one is a yes.

I had read a few of Emilie Richards previous books and had expected a women's lit book here, but boy was I surprised. This was a mystery and family drama that I enjoyed overall. I listened to this book, so it was long at over 14 hours. There were parts of the story that were slow, but in the end, it all came together in a satisfying mystery.

Ryan and Wendy are sisters that are extremely different. Wendy is married with two adorable young children, a job working at her father's company and was always the favourite of her parents. Ryan was the afterthought. Born when Wendy was 18, her parents were always somewhat indifferent. She is a true crime podcaster, who suffered a huge loss, when her boyfriend was shot years ago trying to defend her. He was a canine officer who had warned her not to meet with someone and it ended up badly. Although he survives, her told her never to contact him again and she hasn't, neither has she had any other relationships. When she gets the call from her sister to go look after her girls, she knows she has to go. Using her skills and an investigative reporter, as well as the skills of her co-workers, she begins to investigate what her sister is involved with.

I did not like Wendy from the get-go. Of course, I am sure that is what Emilie Richards has intended. As Ryan finds out more about her sister, I disliked her even more. Ryan is a great character. She is flawed and has a lot of anger and baggage. As the story progresses, she grows immensely and becomes my favourite character by the end of the story. Noel and Holly, the two girls are sweethearts. They are struggling with the loss of both parents, mom has disappeared and dad is in the armed forces commanding a sub, so they have a lot to deal with. They are not the easiest to get to know as they are quiet, angry and secretive, but as they get to know Ryan, they open up and become the sweet children they should be. The mystery is a bit predictable at times, but with twists, it goes off on a tangent that I had not expected. Ryan also has a second chance with her one and only love and that does not go smoothly, but I enjoyed that storyline.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is a story about families, their secrets, their relationships and their mysteries. It is a domestic drama with a dysfunctional family, with a lot of baggage. Finally it is a mystery involving sisters and others who love them. It begs the question, "How far will you go to protect family members?" I do recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries, family drama and psychological suspense.

It took way too long to get the answers in this book. Though I think none of what is discovered is a surprise. I did find parts of this book boring and wanted things to move along more quickly. I did like that there was an epilogue though I would have liked a longer further out one.

*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

this is the first book I have read by this author and i really enjoyed it. It deals with family relationships but also contains romance and mystery. I have ordered this book for the library.

If you are looking for a book that has it all look no further! A Family of Strangers by Emily Richards has realistic characters you will love, a little mystery, and even a budding romance. I became so captivated by this story I was able to read it in one sitting!
This is the first Emily Richard's book I have read but it will not be my last!

Really well done and intriguing story. What do you get when you mix murder, family and some deep sleuthing? This fascinating story!

This was not what you would expect from an Emily Richards book. Ryan Gracey has been in her sisters shadow all her life. Never able to top Emily’s achievements, and fading into the background of her family. Now the tables are turned and Wendy is in trouble and needs her sisters help.

This book falls into several categories, women’s fiction, mystery and romance. It is about family dynamics, the secrets within a family, with a good mystery thrown in. The ending surprised me. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Emilie Richards is fast becoming a go-to author for me. While A Family of Strangers is different than her usual books, it's just as good and maybe better.

This book is more of a thriller - family drama - hard to describe, but filled with secrets, danger, exploration of relationships and renewal.

It's tough to watch the 'favored' child do everything first, win the accolades, accept the praise and still have to find your own way in the world. Now the tables have turned and Ryan is the one that is needed and the one that tries to save her sister Wendy by uncovering whodunit while also taking care of her nieces.

I truly enjoyed A Family of Strangers and would recommend it not only to previous readers of Emilie Richards, but to those who enjoy books centering on family drama, mystery and sibling relationships.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC at my request. All thoughts in this review are my own and freely given.