This is one of my favorite books by this author. It was very suspenseful and a page turner. I loved the characters and the main plot theme.

The Half Sister did not disappoint. The characters were well developed. I found myself siding with everyone at one time or another. Twists and turns kept my attention. I recommend this book to those who love family drama.

Sweet baby jesus this book was amazing. I have loved everything Sandie Jones has written. The twists and turns were spectacular, the plot was gripping, and I felt like it was paced adequately enough that it kept my attention. Thrillers have became such a huge genre, and it takes a lot for a book to stand out. I think Jones did a great job making this stand out.

Of course, I also love to hate characters, so when an author can write a book that has likeable and dislikable people, I appreciate it.

Sisters Lauren and Kate have very different lives. Lauren is the mother of three in a strained marriage. Kate is childless with a great marriage and a successful career. The sisters haven't been close for years, but they faithfully keep their Sunday lunch date with their mother. Since their father passed away the lunches have become a chore, and obligation to get through quickly. They were almost through one such lunch when the doorbell rings. The unexpected visitor is a young woman claiming to be Lauren and Kate's half-sister.
As expected, the sisters had very different reactions. Lauren, who had a rocky relationship with her father, was open to hearing Jess's story. Kate, who adored her father refused to believe he would have ever been unfaithful. Their mother, Rose, refuses to even entertain the possibility. Kate, ever the investigative journalist, puts her skills to use to try to discover the real story of Jess.
The Half Sister is less sinister than Jones's previous novels, but that's not a bad thing. The relationships between the sisters is interesting and the family secrets are revealed in a series of twists. There a couple red herring and many readers may guess what is going on, but all in all, it's a satisfying read.

Kate and Lauren are sisters who have a family lunch every Sunday with their mom and husbands. One Sunday Jess shows up, claiming to be their half sister. Sandie Jones does a great job handling the dynamics of family secrets.

I loved the alternating viewpoints of Kate and Lauren. Their story is well-written and feels very realistic.

Started the month off with The Half Sister by Sandie Jones. This was on my anticipated list for the year and unfortunately I really just want vibing with it. There was a lot of sibling banter and that’s one thing I do like but if you can look past that, I would definitely recommend giving it a try.

Synopsis:

THE TRUTH
Sisters Kate and Lauren meet for Sunday lunch every week without fail, especially after the loss of their father.

THE LIE
But a knock at the door is about to change everything. A young woman by the name of Jess holds a note with the results of a DNA test, claiming to be their half sister.

THE UNTHINKABLE
As the fallout starts, it's clear that they are all hiding secrets, and perhaps this family isn't as perfect as it appears

This book is written well but it made for a horrible thriller. If this were marketed as a drama then I would feel better, but it's not. The ending is incredibly predictable which was very disappointing for me with this book. I'll read another Sandie Jones for sure but this one fell short for me.

I’m truly shocked at some of the reviews I’m reading of people saying this isn’t her best work or they had a hard time finishing it! I had the complete opposite feeling! As soon as I read the first chapter, I couldn’t put it down. I love books that grab me right away and this one did just that! I think this book proves that you shouldn’t always listen to the bad reviews. Judge it for yourself. With that said, I loved it! Story starts when two sisters, Kate and Lauren , are having dinner at their mothers house when someone knocks on the door. It’s a girl named Jess claiming to be the daughter of their father who just passed away less than a year ago. Everyone is clearly distraught and some in denial. Jess claims to have found them through a genealogy site that confirms it. But journalist Kate isn’t so convinced. Is Jess really after a family she always wanted or is there more to it? Told from the points of view of Kate and Lauren we find out secret after secret of two sisters who aren’t as close as they’d both like to be. This book wasn’t exactly a suspenseful read but it WAS full of twists and turns that had my head spinning in a GOOD way! I sped through this book in about 24 hours on and off. I’d say Ms Jones is 3 for 3 on great books! Can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!

After a sluggish start that will turn off many readers, the Half Sister took off, and I found myself in a race to the end.

Only Lauren knew the woman who interrupted the usual Sunday lunch at their widowed mother’s home. Jess, barging in and demanding to speak with her father, catching protective Kate off guard and demanding she leaves, only sets in place more questions. Questions only Lauren has partial answers for and letting the reader know that once you put your DNA profile out there, there is no knowing who will show up at your front door.

Is it possible that Harry, their father having died only a year prior, had another child that the girls were unaware of; Is it possible that their mother knew and never told them? Kate refuses to believe their saintly father could ever do such a thing, while Lauren remembers an incident from 20 years prior which bubbles to the surface.

Where this book begins and where it ends are so opposed, and the reader spends a moment or two wondering what they missed. Then it dawns on you. Words from a wife to a husband, words about responsibility, and then it all fits into place.

Sandie Jones throws in all sorts of side stories and variable what-if, and you, as the reader, are right there with her. As you are trying to tie the parts together, Jones is one step ahead of you systemically tearing them apart. Until the final moments, when each daughter is lying there, gutted with the truth.

fter reading (and LOVING!) Sandie Jones’ previous novel, The Other Woman, I was thrilled to find out about her latest upcoming novel, The Half Sister. So, of course, I couldn’t wait to read my own eARC copy of this title and was thrilled when it was available to request.

Addictive, entertaining, thrilling, nail-biting! This book will leave you wanting more as you flip through the pages and uncover all the secrets, lies, betrayals, and deceit in this deliciously thrilling novel! Once you begin you will not be able to put this book down.

I loved reading about the seemingly perfect family. That is until the young Jess walks into the family’s life saying she has proof, DNA proof, that she belongs in this family, and their world as they know it is turned upside down and inside out. There is so much going on in this novel you will be hooked as you uncover all the juicy drama as you flip through the pages.

I cannot recommend this novel enough, so be sure to add it to your TBR if you haven’t already! I am thrilled to see what book Sandie Jones comes out with next.

The story was interesting enough but the suspense part wasn’t very...suspenseful. Probably took me a little longer to read than normal because there wasn’t enough to drive me to want to find out the twist.

I’m calling it quits at the 18% mark in the ebook. I don’t think this will end up earning a good rating from me if I see it through so I’m abandoning it with no rating on Goodreads, although I’ve no choice but to rate my experience here on NetGalley.. So far the book has felt more like domestic drama than suspense and other reviewers have confirmed for me that my suspicion about that is correct. This would be fine if I had more interest in the drama at play. It just feels like a lot of people bitterly bickering and while part of me is curious about the secrets they are keeping, I don’t think it’s enough to feel compelled to see this through. The bottom line is that I’m not the right reader for this.

I requested this ARC to try a new psychological thriller author and am glad I do! I enjoyed "The Half Sister" and am likely to read the author's next title. The most appealing aspect of the book was the relationships between Kate and her sister Lauren. The differences in their relationships with their parents and how that shaped their adult lives provided a strong background as the plot moved forward in the present day. The struggles each sister experienced in their early lives, especially Lauren's teen pregnancy, created depth of character for both women. The character that was less developed, was their half sister, who they discovered existed through a genealogy website. I felt the character development of the half sister, Jess, to be more superficial that the other sisters. The author would have been better served to focus more on Jess's back story as the novel develops, to draw in the reader to sympathize with the character. Kate's blind belief that her father could do no wrong also felt forced, one would expect her opinions would change as plot points were revealed and it felt forced that she remained so loyal and could not believe her father had an affair. The plot twist at the end was somewhat predictable, but no less satisfying. I enjoyed the book and while it was not great, it was a quick and enjoyable read. The depth of character development of Lauren and Kate propelled my forward and I read the novel quickly. I am looking forward to the author's next title.

This is an author I found through Net Galley and one of my favorite authors. Thank you for the opportunity to the publisher and to Net Galley My review opinion is my own.

This is a complex interesting family drama story. A few months after their Father's death two sister who are opposites are finding their way without their Father and trying to understand each other's differences. One day they answer the door to their new sister. The women has proof by DNA testing. The can of worms that this opens for everyone made for a complex story . I enjoyed this family drama story and found the charcters compelling. A very enjoyable read.

Being an only child, I enjoy reading books about sibling drama. A woman names Jess walks into the lives of sisters Kate and Lauren, claiming to be their half sister. Skeletons soon start flying out of the closet. Kate, a journalist, gets right on board and investigates Jess' claims, while Lauren embraces Jess. Was their father who he really claimed to be? I really enjoyed reading from all of the female family members perspectives. While this book was a tad predictable, it still made for a good read...maybe not exactly a thriller, but more of a family drama.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and Sandie Jones for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The entire time reading this I kept having the feeling it was a Lifetime suspense movie 🎥 that I happened to miss on TV 📺 and I mean this in the best way possible.
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The story kept my attention, trying to figure out if this stranger showing up during a Sunday family dinner really happened to be the half sister of the main characters, Kate and Lauren. Amongst that drama 🎭 there’s constant family secrets and struggles that keep getting exposed, which just lends to how disconnected from each other the family is to begin with. It’s easy to connect on a basic level to either MC since their struggles revolve around appearing like everything is good to the outside world while nearly falling apart behind the scenes.
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I was relying on some sort of death or murder to really drive more suspense and mystery into the plot, and we get it through some back story (which could be distracting since it’s mixed in flash backs while also alternating POVs) but it wasn’t enough to really hook me. The ending was wrapped up, based on assumptions, and logical progression of what gets exposed, but didn’t really make me feel any particular way. I want to give the author another chance as I’ve heard previous books have gotten rave reviews.
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Rating: 3/5

4.5 stars
this gripping story might be a slow starter but it really catches up around half way through! it is all about families and their difficult relationships. based on assumptions and missunderstandings. i really enjoyed this book and felt for All of the sisters!!!
thank you for this reading cooy #netgalley and #St. Martin's Press

Minotaur Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Half Sister. I voluntarily chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Family secrets have a way of getting out, whether you want them to or not. When a young woman appears on the doorstep, claiming to be a half sister that no one knew about, will Lauren, Kate, and their mother accept the woman's story? As digging into the story yields surprising truths, will the family ever be the same?

The notion of finding family using DNA profiling sites is nothing new in today's society. The Half Sister delves deep into the subject, but really did not transport me into the dysfunctional family dynamic that results from the search. None of the characters were all that likable and the side plots overwhelm the main story line. Overall, I was underwhelmed by the storytelling and I would be hesitant to recommend The Half Sister to other readers.

2.5/5

I didn’t review this one publicly because I wasn’t a fan but I did feature it on Instagram.

The Half Sister was fine - a predictable family drama that won’t stick with me. Kate and Lauren are sisters who both secretly envy the other’s life. One week at a family lunch with their mother, Jess shows up claiming to be their half sister.

I came into this book expecting a thriller with twists and a plot to keep me guessing. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like I got anything that was really different from other books I’ve read.

Thank you to Minotaur and Netgalley for my advance reading copy.