The Half Sister is the first book I've read by this and it won't be my last.
This book has suspense, drama, intrigue-- it has it all!
The Half Sister grabs your attention and leaves your heart pounding/beating fast to see if your prediction is right (was correct).

The Half Sister is written in multiple POV"s and is an amazing thriller! I couldn't put it down.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me get a copy of this book to read/review.

#TheHalfSister

I was able to read this title in one sitting; it’s a quick read with fairly short chapters. My only issue with this book is that’s it’s a very slow-burn and lacks any sort of twists that qualify as thriller-worthy.

*I was provided an ARC via Minotaur Books & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After the loss of their father, two sisters continue to have Sunday dinner with mom, their spouses and children. During one dinner a young woman arrives seeking her father, who she claims is their father. One sister swears her dad would never have had an affair while the other is convinced the new woman is really her sister, too.

Sub plots involving the desire for children by one and the bully husband of the other take the sisters on different tracks to determine the truth with conflicting info and denial from the mother.

The story was interesting, but the drama was over the top. No character was really likable and I just wanted it to be over and find out the truth. Yes, some twists and turns exist to make you hang in there, but all in all, not enough to be called enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book did not disappoint! There were many different twists and turns that kept me guessing. Domestic suspense where everyone has a secret. Chapters were short but kept a good pace that kept me reading. If you enjoyed Sandie Jones’ other books you will love this one as well. Thank-you to NetGalley for my advanced copy! On sale June 16th!

Sandie Jones, what happened?! I loved The Other Woman, and The First Mistake was good... but what was this? You lost me halfway through the book. It started out with promise, but became so repetitive that I had to bow out. Don’t disappoint yourself like I did. I would just skip this one altogether.

This was my first Sandie Jones novel and I really liked it up until almost the very ending. I read it in 3 days which is saying a lot considering I have two children 5 and under plus my job. The last 25% of the book got too chaotic for me but the ending was a pretty good twist, but unfortunately, I figured it out before I could be shocked by it.

The story is told in the alternating points of view of two sisters, Kate and Lauren, who are total opposites that don't understand each other's lives anymore. One sister is successful in her career but yearns for a child (Kate) while the other sister is successful in motherhood but envies her sister's high powered career (Lauren). Every Sunday, they gather with their family for a meal even since their beloved father passed away. One fateful Sunday a knock at the door will alter their family gatherings and their lives forever. A young girl- Jess- has arrived to declare herself the (other!) daughter of their late father. Jess is looking for Harry- their father- only to begin the fracture of the family unit that will tear this family apart.

We find out Lauren has deep dark secrets of the past and the present, an unexpected situation in her own family unit. We dive into Kate's relationship and infertility issues. We dig into Jess' past- but she could have been better developed. And we learn that the parents of all these women have secrets that must soon come to light. How they are REALLY all connected will come to shock some readers The ending was twisty but slightly predictable. Would I try another Sandie Jones novel? You bet! I rate this one 3.5 stars!

I’ve read a few of Sandie Jones’ novels and was happy to receive an ARC from Netgalley. I’d describe Jones’ style as delicious, like a layered strawberry shortcake; lots of sweet spots but with a dark center and more than one twisty surprise. She’s excellent at setting the scenes in households and gives the reader plenty of family backstory so the reader feels they know the characters. But do we, really? These ladies are still in mourning over their Dad’s death, then a long-lost sister appears literally on their doorstep, a product of an affair, discovered thanks to Ancestry.com. There are plenty of popular culture references to make the story seem fresh and hip, but there’s something old-fashioned about the sisters’ stories: one desperate to get pregnant, one straddled with 3 little ones and a buffoon of a husband, then a Mom who doesn’t want her husband’s reputation tarnished— these strains of the story seem a bit weather-worn. But Jones’ smooth style and banter between the characters make you want to move deeper into the story. And then come the plot twists and turns as we delve back into Jess and the father’s past, taking us further into the mystery and the doubts sprout. It helps that one of the sister’s is a journalist, so she works at digging into the truth, no matter how much it hurts everyone. It’s a punch ending, and will definitely satisfy the reader, especially those who love this genre. Bravo Sandie!

Tangled web of secrets and lies in a seemingly perfect family. When sisters Kate and Lauren, along with their mother Rose, are surprised by a young woman claiming to be the deceased patriarch’s daughter, Jess. While Lauren is eager to know her new sister, Kate is more suspicious. As Kate digs deeper into her new sister’s past, she discovers more chilling truths than she’s ready to face.
Really good read. Some parts drug a little, but all in all, I enjoyed it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a an honest review.

Unfortunately this book did not interest me. I made it to about 65% and decided to move on. The characters did not engage me & I realized I just didn't really care what happened.

What if one day, you were gathered with your family for Sunday lunch, and a stranger shows up at your door looking for your father? Claiming to be your half sister?
Sisters Kate and Lauren couldn't be more different. Each reacts differently to Jess's sudden appearance. And they each do digging of their own to get to the bottom of this mystery.
Thoughts:
For a domestic thriller this was a good/quick read. The drama of the novel really picked up towards the second half of the book, and at that point I flew through it. As a whole the story was fine, but the plot didn't seem super unique and didn't pack a punch.
I also found the ending slightly predictable. *Shrugs*

I love Sandie Jones and domestic suspense books! Her new novel, The Half Sister was another good and twisty story that I enjoyed. What would you do if a stranger appeared at your door claiming to be your half sister?! That's what happens to Kate and Lauren, and boy were they in for a shocking surprise! This book was filled with lies deceit, and deep dark secrets. It kept me guessing the whole time, and I will say I was surprised at the end. This book was well written and I would recommend reading it!

Kate, Lauren and their mother meet for lunch every Sunday-- but it's just not the same without their father, who recently passed away. On this particular Sunday, though, everything changes with the ring of a doorbell.

There's a woman on the porch who claims to be their father's daughter. Could it be true?

The devastating news causes the girls to rethink everything they knew about their father, cast suspicion on the "picture perfect" life their mother claims and dig into their memories for clues. Along the way, family secrets are revealed and you'll never guess the truth-- you'll just have to read until the very last page!

Sandie Jones does it again!
A DNA test reveals a half sister....a secret that could create a bigger chasm between to sisters, and a mother who "forgets" important conversations. This one is a real page-turner that will keep you up far too late into the night. Sandie Jones is a master and spinning twisted tale of half-truths and buried secrets. This one does not disappoint!
It seems all the Alexander women have a secret...an imperfect home life with a desire for more, infertility issues, and a husband with eyes for other women. When a secret Half-Sister shows up, the secrets begin to be revealed with the twists you expect from author Sandie Jones.
Actual Stars: 4.5

I liked this one. Sandie Jones is such a great writer and I have enjoyed others by Sandie. It was well written fast paced. I enjoyed the ending greatly!

Unfortunately I’m saying this was Meh. It took til 50%ish for anything remotely intriguing to happen and then it got a little steam only to fizzle out with a kinda predictable boring ending. I wasn’t super invested in any of the characters and it kinda felt like everything was quickly wrapped up in a tidy bow. I just wanted more.

Kate and Lauren are sisters who are at odds at times but love each other just the same. Kate seems closer to her father and Lauren appears closer to her mother. They never really knew why but it was just the way it was. Then, along comes a possible sister to Kate and Lauren. This story takes us through the lives of Kate and Lauren with their mother, Rose in the background, just existing and not doing much in the way of adding anything to their lives. Rose was fairly irritating to me as I continued to read this book. Just as soon as she would redeem herself, she would do something frustrating again.

Jess appears and claims to be a half sister to Kate and Lauren and the story takes off from there. Independent investigations are done by everyone to try and figure out who Jess is and how she possibly became a blood relative. The story is interesting enough and kept my interest throughout. Sandie Jones is a wonderful storyteller even when there are a few spots in the book that I wanted to just get past and to the real meat and potatoes.

I did end up figuring out the mystery about three quarters of the way through but it did not take away from the suspense and reading experience. Easy and fun read! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I always feel so appreciative for the opportunity to review new books.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishing house, and the author for allowing me a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars!
I really enjoy Sandie Jones!! And wow! Does this family have secrets or what!?!
There are secrets between sisters, secrets between spouses, secrets between the parents and the kids growing up. Someone ends this book waiting in jail for their trial. And I can almost guarantee you will not be able to guess who that person is until close to the end.
The whole time reading it I wanted to say over and over, "Just tell for god's sake!" I enjoyed that the author played off the older generation's need for secrecy and pride for the "family name" against the newer generation wanting to understand the past and not seeing anything healthy in keeping "secrets". And the involvement of DNA ancestry websites is a nice modern touch. Believable modern touch!
Thank you again!

What is this book about?
Kate, Lauren and Rose are at a family dinner when Jess shows up claiming to be a half sister to Kate and Lauren. Jess has a note with DNA results that state their late father is also her father. Lauren accepts it right away but Rose and Kate are skeptical. Kate begins to investigate and finds that someone is hiding a secret.

What did I think?
I didn’t really enjoy this book. I couldn’t connect to the characters at all. I mostly found them annoying and immature. I also found the reactions to the half sister showing up a little far fetched and unrealistic. I felt like this novel was more about family dynamics rather than a thriller. I wish I would have had more background on the Kate and Lauren and how their relationship fell apart. It said many times in the book that they were close at one time. One positive about the book is that the characters were developed well enough that I didn’t get confused when the story switched between points of view. My favorite part of the book was the last 30 or so pages when it felt more like a thriller because I was excited and engaged. I really wish the whole book had been like that.

This was a great book! It was well-written and kept me guessing until the end. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, it turned out that I had no idea. And then the end. The end! What?

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley. First of all let me say, read this book for the plot twists if nothing else folks!!! The Half Sister is a novel that explores the events a family endures once an infidelity comes to light. This is the short summary but expect drama and intrigue as you delve into sisters Kate and Lauren's reactions to learning of a possible half sister and the implications that this knowledge brings to their seemingly close knit family.
This was my first book by this author and their writing style flowed well, was easy to read and not overly detailed. I would recommend this for sure.