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His Secret Child by Cole Baxter is a twisted and heart-racing psychological thriller about wealth and greed and all the crazy things people will do for money!

I loved it, like absolutely loved but the end was a bit too far stretched so I lost a bit of reality, but, if I ignore that, this is an absolutely excellent read!

Rose, oh my how much I loved this character! From the wealthy grey mouse, she turned into the shining and brave swan! It was a pleasure to watch how that character grew in front of our eyes!

Charles Blaisdell, a crazy wealthy man dies from a heart attack and before his body can cool down, relatives like hungry birds of prey are there to pull everything in pieces and grab as much as they can!

A surprise arrives at the funeral - Ava, the secret daughter of Charles... at least this is what she is saying. Ava is confident and clearly knows what she wants and she will make sure everyone knows that she will not stop until 7 billion will land in her bank account!

Rose's mother Thelma will not confirm or deny so Rose has no choice but to take the matter into her own hands.

Things are crazy and intense and everyone is ready to destroy each other throats! What a family!

As I said the ending was a bit too much, things just didn't make sense but I still loved how things ended.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for this copy :)

I enjoy both Baxters’ works. As always, his books are easy to read and a nice reprieve from heavier stuff! I was happy about the plot as I was afraid it was another book about a child. There were definitely some vicious characters in this one. I did feel like it had too much duplication at times although I wasn’t sure how I would change it. Not thrilling, but interesting!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel – a fascinating plot written in a fluid style of writing that keeps you focused throughout. I particularly liked how the author smartly changes the dynamics smoothly to keep the reader invested in the plot.

Rose Blaisdale has made it. She has her own place, a good job, and a handsome fiancé. Her wealthy, overbearing family is the only blot on her landscape with their endless, showy family get-togethers, which she dreads as she’s never felt she fits in or accepted.

When her father dies, jaw-dropping secrets about the family come to light. Who is the stranger at the funeral? It changes Rose’s life and unsettles her fragile equilibrium. Beneath the family’s charm and wealth, she senses they are shallow and disingenuous. How will she cope with these raw, unforeseen circumstances? Her security falters and hits a dangerously low level. Fight or flight?

It made me consider that she might walk away from the poisonous rabble after the way they’ve treated her, with or without their tainted money. Nobody needs people like them in their lives. A cold-hearted mother, Thelma, a drunk, lazy brother, Devon, a vindictive Aunt Melinda and her violent son, Joey. In particular, I found Thelma’s reactions unnatural at every level – as a wife, mother, sister and widow.

OUCH!!! Quote - “I don’t know, maybe they’ll find someone hot to attract the female viewers,” she teased. Unquote. What an accidentally implied insult to poor Gregory. It wouldn’t have done his male ego much good despite it being a teasing remark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture

I love Cole Baxter. His books never disappoint and leave me waiting for the next one. This will keep you entertained for the next several hours. A killer ending as well.

Whilst this is a good solid novel and well written, it wasn't the most exciting. It was also somewhat predictable and felt a bit flat. I wasn't sure what to make of Rose, and although I did finish it, I did skip a few pages at times. Cole is still a great author and I will read more of their work.

DNF the premise itself was lacking but the book failed to grab me in the first chapter and after that we all know it’s an uphill battle.

I felt this was predictable and and an overdone plot. I basically read the beginning and turned to the back to see the end. It just didn't have anything new that grabbed my attention.

A family secret revealed upon a death opens a “can of worms” as many more secrets come to light. With twists and turns added as the tale progresses the reader is kept guessing and gets surprised along the way.

Another fab read from this author.

A thriller/domestic drama. A wealthy family full of rotten relatives.
I wanted to shout at Rose several times.
Lots of twists and turns until we finally get to the bottom of things.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

I was hooked from the beginning and the questions kept coming. Was Ava really Rose’s father’s secret daughter? Did her father die or was he murdered? The mystery deepens when Rose’s brother also ends up in hospital. Rose is sure Ava isn’t to be trusted but the rest of the family, including her fiancé Adrian, seen to adore her - preferring her to Rose who has never really felt like she belonged. Is Rose paranoid as they all think? A twisty thriller that makes you ask just what will people do for money.

Wow what a read. This is a really twisted novel about a young woman called Rose who is treated badly by all of her family and on the day of her fathers funeral a woman called Ava turns up claiming she’s his daughter and that Rose is in fact the bastard child. As she threatens to go to tell the world the truth unless she gets her cut of the inheritance it looks like something darker is going on as her Brother ends up in hospital with the same thing that killed her Dad. As Rose becomes more ostracised from her family it’s up to her alone to find out the truth but with her family all falling for Avas charms it seems only she can see the real danger they are in and will she get to the truth before something worse happens. I won’t spoil this but it’s a great read. Although the abuse she suffers from her family may be slightly triggering.

Is she his daughter?

That’s the biggest question in this book, which begins with a party, after which Charles Blaisdell, Jr., dies in his sleep. Thelma, his wife, and his children, Devon and Rose, are obviously devastated. The last thing on their mind was the inheritance, but soon Charles’s sister Melinda and her jailbird son Joey show up, wanting their piece of the pie. Charles was worth $12 billion, and while Rose has never cared about the family money, everyone else seems very concerned about the will.

Before the will is read, we have the funeral. Thelma is in hysterics, Devon is wasted and can barely stand, and Rose was just glad that her fiancé Adrian was there with her for a calming presence around her crazy family. As they’re leaving to go back to the house, Rose spots a vaguely familiar woman watching from a distance, but she brushes it off - until the woman shows up at the Blaisdell house after the funeral, where she immediately drops a bomb: her mother had a one-night-stand with Charles, and she is his daughter.

Ava’s mother recently died, and she didn’t get a chance to know Charles, so she’s there for her part of the inheritance that she feels she deserves after living a life away from her family. Needless to say, when the will is read, Ava is not listed as a beneficiary. She’s simmering - this rich man got her mom pregnant then made them struggle, by leaving them with nothing. She has DNA testing proving her relationship, and oh yeah, one more thing! She also has DNA evidence showing that Rose isn’t a Blaisdell after all, and says she will sue to get Rose’s cut of the fortune.

You can only imagine how crazy things get from this point on! Threats are made, lawyers are hired, fights are started, people get arrested - the drama in this book is highly entertaining (if not slightly unrealistic). Are Rose and Ava half-sisters? Are they related at all, if Ava’s claims of Rose having a different biological father are true? And even if they are, is Ava really deserving of a payout? You’ll find out with a fast-paced story that has an action-packed ending, and it’s good. Most mystery/thriller lovers should enjoy this one! Four stars.

(Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me onto this book’s tour. “His Secret Child” is slated to be released on August 20, 2024.)

Book releases on August 20 so add this book to your “To Be Read” now or just do yourself a favor and preorder the book on @Amazon!

A book you won’t want to put down, you think you know the truth and yet a twist turns here and there!

Thank you @Netgalley and @bookouture for this opportunity to read and give a review on this book!

I want to start by saying how much I love the cover. 

People can be very good in hiding the fact they have a child born out of wedlock. But as we often see, those secrets are bound to come out and this kind of surprises pop up after someone died, especially when there is something to gain.

Rose is not, to say it kindly, the most popular member ot the family. Then Ava appears claiming to be the secret child. Rose has some serious doubts about this claim. The family though would happily exchange Rose for Ava with a second thought. 

Rose decides to dig up her feisty side and is determined to expose Ava for the inposter she believes she is.

This story is a true example of how far people are prepared to go when money is involved. An easy and enjoyable read. I liked the evolution Rose went through and she got everything she deserves. 5 stars

Thank you

An addictive thriller that keeps you turning the pages, full of shocking twists and turns. A great read!