Holy heart-pounding, edge-of-your seat, furious page turning book! This story opens up with one of the most unforgettable scenes in a thriller…ever. Krystal and Nichole seemingly overcame a very challenging upbringing in and out of foster care. They have both managed to make something of their lives and are considered productive members of society. Nichole, happily married to perfect husband and loving the all-American dream suddenly seems to have gone off the deep end. No one knows why she burned the house down with her husband in it. No one knows why she claims to have imposters taking over her life. No one knows why she clearly has stepped away from reality. But Krystal, her foster sister now turned lawyer, knows something isn’t right. She knows her sister.

After I learned about Lucinda Berry’s background as a trauma psychologist I knew that she had the ability and talent to create characters who fit the profile of a someone experiencing a psychotic episode. She had a fabulous way of weaving the clinical and medical piece of the story together with the psychological thriller piece to create a heart pounding story with a twisted plot!

Readers won’t believe how this story unravels! DON’T trust anyone!

I have been a loyal reader of Lucinda Berry's books since "The Perfect Child." This latest novel does not disappoint. She created characters that we love and hate at the same time. The evoked sympathy in one chapter and anger in the next chapter. The plot is definitely relates to the times we are living in.

Wow! This was my first read by Lucinda Berry and I am impressed! Excellent writing and I was really intrigued by the characters. Definitely excited to see what she writes next!

I really do enjoy the stories this author writes. They pull me in quickly and generally are very fast paced and exciting. This was a bit slower than the usual pace but still mesmerizing. The characters were great. The twists were something else! I did not expect that last one at all! At the end though I still feel a bit unsettled and left scratching my head. Perhaps that’s the point?? If you are a fan of this author, you will not be disappointed!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Thomas & Mercer for a copy in exchange for a review.

3.5 stars

Foster sisters Krystal and Nichole had a traumatic adolescence, but it’s not until adulthood that Nichole has a breakdown, tries to kill her husband, and is committed to a psychiatric hospital. Krystal, now a lawyer, tries to figure out what happened and protect her sister. Told in chapters not only alternating between their present and their past but also changing the character perspective, this twisty thriller keeps you on your toes until the end.

I liked that the story went back and forth between their adolescence and the present. However, it didn’t tie together as well as I thought it should. The past Krystal and Nichole didn’t match up very clearly with the present Krystal and Nichole, and I’m still not completely clear that the big reveal should have shaken up their lives quite to the extent that it did, or maybe I was just didn’t really care anymore by that point since it seemed to take a long time to get to anything substantial.

I really like that Lucinda Berry brings her background as a psychologist to her writing since I think it allows her to go deeper into the minds of her characters and the why of the crimes. However, sometimes, like here, it seems to slow the overall story down instead of pushing the reader to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

This book has me on the edge of my seat: it was so good,I really recommend it to others, I think they are gonna love her and

wow! I am so excited I finally read this book! I have heard Lucinda Berry writes some twisted thrillers and this did not disappoint.

This book is written in first person, switching between multiple POVs and timelines, Krystal (present) and Nichole (past). Krystal and Nichole are practically twins- two weeks apart, both in foster care together and inseparable. Starting out very young, they make a pact to stick together no matter what, and that is what they do. The only downside to their life, is their sister Veronica. Veronica is bullied at school and in return, she bullies the girls at home. Everything takes a horrible turn when a deadly accident causes Krystal and Nichole to cover up for Veronica or be framed by their foster mother. This makes their life very hard- especially Nichole.
20 years later, Krystal is a successful lawyer when she gets a call that Nichole set her house on fire with her husband Aiden inside. Although alive, Aiden is in the ICU and Nichole is being held in isolation in a psych ward. Krystal knows Nichole better than anyone and is determined to make sure to find out the truth about what happened, while protecting their secret past.

I loved this book !! I am such a huge fan of paranormal thrillers and this book had the perfect amount. I read this book in one sitting pretty much because I needed to know what was going to happen! and the TWIST !! OMG !! I loved the sisterly bond Krystal and Nichole had. it really showed that family doesn't mean blood, it means loving unconditionally and always being there for each other. I can't wait to read more by her !!

I read and mostly enjoyed The Best of Friends by Berry, and had high hopes, only to have them disappointed.
The writing felt amateurish at times, I couldn't get into it for a long time, but persevered for the ending.
This is an okay read, but I preferred The Best of Friends. I have high standards, and this felt too much of a slow burn for my taste.

This is a dark and twisted psychological thriller, that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Delving into the foster system, drug induced madness and serial cheating, this book will grab you from the start. This is just a well written, fast paced book and I highly recommend it.

First impression: Definitely hooked on what’s going on with Nichole and Krystal! I have so many questions! Anything that touches on mental illness needs to be done tastefully and since Lucinda Berry is a former clinical psychologist, I know this won’t be a problem. The POV between Nichole then and Krystal now keeps the urge to keep flipping the pages!

Halfway point: I’m a little confused of the severity of Aiden’s injuries. It seemed like he was critical and then up well within days. I’m still intrigued and am desperate for answers. I love unreliable narrators and I know the twist will be coming soon.

Final impression: I don’t really know how to rate this or how I feel about this one.

▪️revenge
▪️trauma
▪️unfaithful husband / sex addiction
▪️murder

Nichole and Krystal grew up together in the foster system, creating an unbreakable bond only made stronger by a tragedy at the farm where they lived in their teens. The events of the horrific night haunt them both well into their adulthood, so when Krystal learns Nichole has allegedly started a fire in her home to kill her husband, Krystal fears their past is bubbling to the surface again. How far will sisters go to protect each other from a troubled past?

I had a tough time getting into this one after a strong start out of the gate. I found the back and forth chapters from each sister from the past and present was a bit disjointed at times and left me not only confused but indifferent. I struggled to connect the past to the present as the girls seemed so incredibly different from their past/future selves in each timeline. I struggled to connect with either character. I did enjoy the plot from the past and found myself looking forward to those chapters. Overall it was a decent story that left me second guessing up to the last sentence. I would have enjoyed a touch more continuity and something to make me care more about the characters and what was happening to them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

The Secret of Us by Lucinda Berry

Brief Summary: Foster sisters Krystal and Nichole have been through thick and thin together. When Nichole ends up in a psychiatric hospital after setting her house on fire with her husband trapped in their bedroom, Krystal an attorney rushes to her side. From the outside Nichole had a picture perfect marriage but there’s more than meets the eye. Told in alternating between the present and the sister’s past; this is my first novel by Lucinda Berry but it definitely won’t be my last.

Highlights: This is a page-turning consuming novel. I found the sisters experiences as foster kids interesting and as a clinical psychologist myself I loved her portrayal of the psychiatric unit and how the psychiatrist explained her sister’s diagnosis to her. I was really excited that Dr. Berry is a former clinical psychologist who worked her experience into her novels. She did a great job depicting psychosis and the impact of childhood trauma. I am disappointed her lead mental health professional was a psychiatrist rather than a clinical psychologist like us; though a psychiatrist is more fitting for the setting.

Highly recommend this book to my fellow mental health professionals and those interested in mental health. I will be on the lookout for Dr. Berry’s next book!

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

"The Secrets of Us" by Lucinda Berry focuses on two women, Krystal and Nichole, who grew up together as foster sisters. They share a tragic past and are bonded by dark events that occurred in their past. In the future, Nichole is accused of setting her home on fire and trapping her husband inside. The book explores this, what led up to these events, and if Nichole truly committed this, and why.

Overall, the read was fast and entertaining. I enjoyed the alternating POV's and the fact that the book jumped from past and present. I love Lucinda Berry's style and think she covered the psychological elements brilliantly. You can tell she knows her stuff. However, I did not enjoy this book from her as much as some of her others.

While engaging, it wasn't a book that I was dying to continue reading or couldn't put down. I enjoyed it, but it was nothing that stood out to me or would make me want to read another of her works if this was the first one I read.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of "The Secrets of Us" by Lucinda Berry in exchange for an honest review.

What a solid thriller written by a former clinical psychologist, who really knows her subject matter!
This book delves into foster care, trauma, cover-ups and the lengths family - blood or otherwise - will go to to save each other. I loved the characters, the writing style and the weaving of the backstory throughout the novel. I found it hard to put down! Read in 2 sittings! Thankful for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. The story of two girls who grow up like sisters and always stick together. What they face as children, and more importantly as teenagers, has devastating consequences for their lives there after.
The story hops between present day Krystal, and past Nichole (the two "sisters") as you piece together what happened back then and why it's so important to understanding what is happening in the present.

Hmm where do I begin with this one? Let me start by saying I love Lucinda Berry. But I don’t think this was one for me.

For such a short book, it was pretty slow. I enjoyed the alternating POVs and timelines but it just took too long to get to the meat of the past story with Nichole and Krystal. The present day story felt far fetched and while I liked feeling like “WTH” for most of it, it was over the top. I was also annoyed by the fact that there was basically no way Aiden would’ve recovered so fast from the severe burns and a coma and been released from the hospital so quickly. I couldn’t help rolling my eyes at so many parts with him!

All in all, this was a quick and fairly entertaining read. However, it isn’t one that will stick with me and is my least favorite of the novels I’ve read by Berry.

Krystal and Nichole are foster sisters who have survived a tragic past together, However, years later they are now leading fulfilling lives. Krystal is a successful attorney, and Nichole is married to an architect, eager to create the family that she has always yearned for. One day, out of the blue, that all changes. Nichole has a psychotic breakdown, claiming that her husband is holding her hostage inside her own home. For her safety, Nichole is admitted to a psychiatric unit. Krystal makes it her personal mission to figure out what exactly is going on in Nichole's mind.....and her home.

As Krystal digs deeper and deeper into Nichole's psyche, she finds out that their shared past contains a horror that Nichole has suppressed for many years. This horror is now struggling to make its way to the surface, threatening to shake the very foundation of the happiness that the women have worked so hard for.

I love Lucinda Berry's novels. She has such a knack for digging deep into the human mind, bringing issues to light that affect so many people. I was not let down with this latest novel, and can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.

🤫Book Review🤫
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Summary: Foster sisters Krystal and Nichole have always been there for each other, so when Nichole is committed to a psychiatric hospital after trying to kill her husband, Krystal drops everything to defend her.

Scarred by a hard upbringing, Nichole and Krystal managed to construct comfortable lives for themselves. Krystal became a respected lawyer, and Nichole was happily married to an architect—until Nichole starts raving that her husband isn’t her husband, believing that he’s an imposter.

Driven by fierce loyalty, Krystal starts asking questions, but she’s not sure she can bear the answers. Her investigation leads to the sisters’ dark shared past…to a horrible tragedy and a well-guarded lie that cemented their sisterly bond.

But that lie can’t kill the truth—the battered, gasping, clawing truth that’s coming for them both. Now Krystal and Nichole must both fight for the lives they’ve built before they’re consumed by the one they left behind
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts: thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy of the newest hit by Lucinda Berry. Normally I love her work but this one was not one of my favorites 😕. I found the characters unlikable and the plot was really all over the place. It was jumpy and slow in places. I wanted to love this it was really well written as usual and sounded like it had potential but it fell short for me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I'm starting to think Berry isn't for me. The plot always speaks to me and sounds fun but I never care about anyone in the books and they don't seem like real people at all. I think they might be books for non-readers who want something they don't mind getting wet near the pool during a week away.

Nichole and Krystal were foster sisters when they were young, and developed a bond as tighter than blood, as they tried to survive their abusive foster parents' home and the wrath of the other daughter in the home. They have always had each other's backs, so when Nichole gets put in a psych ward after allegedly attempting to murder her husband, now-lawyer Krystal drops everything to prove her sister innocent and discover the truth. The investigation brings to light the darkness in their past and the truth behind their unbreakable bond.

Author Lucinda Berry was a clinical psychologist trained in childhood trauma, and her expertise in the subject certain shows in this text. The plot and characters were well-developed and realistic and fast-moving. It was an interesting look into the way that a person's past can affect their future and about the ties that bind in our lives. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.