It’s been a while since I read a book by the author and I am not sure why. It has all the makings of a popcorn thriller. it is short, has unlikable characters and kept me not wanting to put it down. The writing style is easy to read and all of this made me want to keep reading once I started.

Filled with secrets and family drama, it was the dysfunctional family that I couldn’t look away from. I did see some of the twists coming, but I quite often figure things out early, but definitely not all of them. But predicting some of the twists did not stop me from wanting to judge this family and all their drama. They could have their own TV show.

Are you looking for one more summer read before the seasons switch, then give this one a try. It was the train wreck you couldn’t look away from and didn’t know you needed.

Don’t bother
50% done and only one slightly interesting thing that you can predict happens. Only reading on to see if the whole book is as predictable and slow as it has been this far. Too much word repetition. MC thinking something will happen then it happening. Not by any means a “heart-racing psychological thriller.” The last 10% has some interesting elements that is all.

This family isn’t one I want to be a part of. Some members don’t value that bond and behave despicably. Yet, one character wants to stay a part of it and one character claims to be a part of it. Who can really be trusted? If you want an addictive psychological thriller, this is one for you; then you can find out who’s trustworthy.

Thank you, Cole Baxter, Bookouture, & netgalley for my early copy! All opinions are my own.

My Thoughts: this one was a slow pace for Coles books and I’ve read a few of them. For me at the time of reading the change of pace was appreciated and although I didn’t know it when I picked the book up it was exactly what I needed!

The story was a new twist on a plot that’s been done so many times, the secret ‘child’ was actually a fully grown adult that seemed to be just out for what she could get.. the cover is almost like a red herring in itself.

The plot was gripping without being full of twists and turns, we were just following the perspective of one character which helped the story to flow really easily, it also made it so the story only really had one way it could go for the most part which in turn meant that a lot of detail could be thrown in that would otherwise be missed in a thriller that had different timelines/perspectives and plot threads.

A relatively quick read given the slow pace & full of plenty of unsavoury characters for the reader to hate, as well as a couple that the reader will definitely want to succeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one like I do with all of Cole’s books!

This story is one of the most gripping, edge-of-your-seat, breath-holding, tension-filled, and jaw-dropping books I’ve read ... ever!
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I honestly can't stop thinking about it and I want to read it again, catch on some hints that I might have missed during my first encounter with His Secret Child. This book is filled with twists and turns and I couldn't predict anything.
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I was immersed in the story all the way to the end. It's so complex and it has a fantastic level of suspense. I will keep recommending it to everyone
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Thank you to @bookouture for offering me the opportunity to be part of the book tour.

received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley, the publisher and the author.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a bit more drama to it than I usually go for. It actually reminded me a lot of the board game Clue; Rich people with big secrets and who killed the patriarch in the study?!

A woman shows up at the main characters funeral and claims to be his unclaimed daughter. Is she truly related to the billionaire, or is she just after a quick payday?

There were some predictable moments in this one, but it was still a gripping read. I think it was more fast paced and the ending was satisfying!

His Secret Child
By: Cole Baxter

4 Stars

Rose is in shock when her father dies suddenly and a secret daughter comes for her inheritence. Soon, her life is flipped upside down with secrets and murder.

Wow. This was a wild ride of a book that kept you guessing and kept you on the edge of your seat. The characters were dynamic and fun to watch, grow, and change throughout the story. This story was filled with family drama, murder, and romance. I was thrilled to the last page.



*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

Instead of a thriller or mystery, His Secret Child comes across more like a family drama, similar to a Bollywood web series with a dramatic ending.

While the book is advertised as a heart racing psychological thriller, it is completely not.

Overall, the book was predictable, and the first half was especially repetitive.

This book follows Rose Blaisdell, a woman who is suddenly shocked by the untimely death of her wealthy father, and all of the familial drama that comes along with his inheritance. In the wake of his death, a woman shows up claiming to be a child he didn’t know he had. Major events unfold from there. I was very into this book for the first 50 percent of my read. I liked how the story was setting itself up, and enjoyed seeing Rose kind of lose her mind. However, after that point I had the story figured out and had a hard time engaging. My favorite part of that last bit was the fact that the company’s acronym is BEE. If you read the book, you’ll understand why this is comical. In the last 10 chapters, there are a lot of feelings of suspense that I thought really brought enjoyment to the read. I rated this one 3.5 stars overall!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC of the book. I enjoyed the story and the character development. I was engaged from the very beginning. As a fan of horror/thrillers, I loved this story. The mystery and intrigue was there and I found myself staying up late to finish chapters. This is a book that's great for spooky season.

His Secret Child is written by Cole Baxter. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and it will not be my last. This book drew me in within the first few pages, and I could not read fast enough to see what happened next. The book is well written with real feeling and flawed characters.

Rose and her father do not have the greatest relationship. He does not seem to approve of her career or her fiancé. Suddenly, he passes and while at the gravesite, Ava approaches her and tells her that they share a father. The rest of the family welcome Ava, but something seems off to Rose.

Rose's family is a complex one - and it becomes clear that everyone wants their hands on the inheritance. I felt like Rose wanted what was best, and wanted to do things on her own. But it becomes clear that she does not even know who she can trust in her own family.

This is a domestic thriller. There are a lot of twists, turns, family drama, and so much more. I will be checking this author out in the future, I really liked his style of writing. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

Reading Between the Wines book review #79/130 for 2024:
BOOK TOUR!
Rating: 3 🍷🍷🍷
Book: His Secret Child
Author: Cole Baxter
Available now!! Released on Aug 20!

Sipping thoughts: This thriller was also very much a domestic suspense/drama. How would you feel if all of a sudden a young woman claims to be your father’s daughter after his death and with so much heritance money on the land? Rose found out and was fighting for her life, literally. If you are looking for a twisty book filled with lies, back-stabbing, and greed then look no further.

Cheers and thank you for this Books on Tour to @Bookouture and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @HisSecretChild.

#HisSecretChild #ColeBaxter #Bookouture #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is so much drama from the start and I couldn't put it down as I needed to know more about what was going to happen. I felt sorry for Rose throughout the entire book, especially as people she loved turned against her so easily. I could understand her actions and behaviours. Although I guessed the ending midway through the book, it didn't stop me from being shocked by the twists and turns at the end. I have read a few Cole books, and definitely would recommend this one.

His Secret Child by Cole Baxter

The story had a sad start but it also an exciting beginning. There was a woman claiming she's your sister. But was she really looking forward for this sisterhood or was she aiming for the inheritance or other even more unthinkable reason?

With an average-paced of the story, the relationship between the characters moved relatively fast. The secrets between the families created a compelling content. The unexpected twists and turns made the story even more page-turning!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Aug 20, 2024

Another brilliant book by Cole Baxter. He knows how to pull you in from the very first page and keep you hooked until the last one.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
If you like a twisty family drama with back stabbing, lies and of course a murder, then this book is for you!
Rose’s father dies suddenly and a girl comes forward claiming to be his daughter. Her family is awful to her and welcomes the new girl into the family. You won’t want to put this down once you start reading.
Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “His Secret Child” by Cole Baxter. I can’t wait to read more books by him! Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#HisSecretChild #Cole Baxter #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

If you enjoy family drama, this novel revolves around an intense inheritance conflict that evolves into a murder mystery. I appreciated witnessing the main character’s growth and developing a stronger decisiveness. However, she repeatedly insists that she is not interested in wealth and expresses that it’s overwhelming for one person to handle, frequently mentioning her charitable donations and distinguishing herself as the sole family member uninterested in wealth. It became exhausting to hear about this constantly, making her presence unpleasant. There were moments when I almost found myself rooting for the killer.

This book was so good! A great psychological thriller that had me hooked. The suspense level it this books was fantastic! I read it in one sitting. Could not put it down. Will be reading more books from Cole Baxter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of His Secret Child by Cole Baxter. Well once again I found myself reading a book that was constantly repeating the same thing over and over again. I have trouble tolerating books like this. The main character also kept asking herself questions, or making statements to herself in almost every paragraph which then also added to the repetitiveness of the story. Remove all of that and the book would be one third of itself. It was not a thriller or even a mystery, more like a drama. This was my first book by this author. A 2 star rating from me.

Secrets have kept this family from being close. When Mr.Blaisdell dies family comes out to claim what they all believe is theirs.Ava walks in and demands an inheritance she claims is rightfully hers….only Ava has secrets of her own. She wins over the family she has always wanted until suddenly her brother becomes sick and ends up in a coma. Rose is determined to find out what is real and what is made-up to get her family back on track. What secrets have her parents kept from her all these years and why does Ava want to expose her.

Loved how everything came at the right time to keep the story interesting. When you think you get the plot the story turns.