Reviewer: Kate
I received a copy of Secret Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
They knew his name, the man who tried to brutally attack twelve-year-old Madeline in her grandmother’s hotel. They thought they knew his fate. He wouldn’t be bothering them anymore…ever. Still their lives would never be the same.
Madeline has returned to Washington after her grandmother’s mysterious death. And at the old, abandoned hotel—a place she never wanted to see again—a dying man’s last words convey a warning: the secrets she and Daphne believed buried forever have been discovered.
Now, after almost two decades, Madeline and Daphne will be reunited in friendship and in fear. Unable to trust the local police, Madeline summons Jack Rayner, the hotel chain’s new security expert. Despite the secrets and mysteries that surround him, Jack is the only one she trusts…and wants.
Jack is no good at relationships but he does possess a specific skill set that includes a profoundly intimate understanding of warped and dangerous minds. With the assistance of Jack’s brother, Abe, a high-tech magician, the four of them will form an uneasy alliance against a killer who will stop at nothing to hide the truth….
Review:
Evocative, funny, hot—Secret Sisters is one of the best romantic suspense novels I’ve read this year. I loved this book! From the first page, there is an edginess that crawls under your skin and doesn’t release you until the very end. The tension of cold, calculating murder and simmering, suppressed lust will make your blood race and your heart pound.
And the great thing about this one—you will never guess who done it! That I can appreciate. Once I figure out who the culprit is, I rarely feel the need to finish the book (yes, yes, I know it’s about the journey and not the destination, but lack of suspense in a suspense novel kinda kills the joy for me). No need to worry about that in Secret Sisters. And if you are like my mother and you read the end first, you’ll still have to read the middle to really figure it all out. Krentz has given this plot some hardy twists, and with so many villainous characters it’s a tough mystery to crack.
And I’ve only told you about the mystery… I didn’t even get to the hot hot hot security specialist (Jack) and his hot hot hot cybergeek brother (Abe). Oh oh oh. Let me tell you, there is more mystery beyond the odd murders surrounding the secret that Madeline shares with her sister of the heart. These two brothers are a totally different case, and each incredibly worthy of investigation. Krentz does a fabulous job setting us up for the sequel (read and you’ll know what I mean).
The sweetness of these secret sisters is a testament to the type of bond that can only be forged in the fires of adolescence. Which introduces a welcome love storyline outside of the typical romantic interests. Krentz provides welcome context to the notion of girl power, creating two amazing heroines who couldn’t be more different but are linked in sisterhood and friendship.
If you love romance with some meat, a story that both you can really sink your teeth into and give your mind and body a bit of tease, this is the book for you. This would make the perfect HOLIDAY GIFT for the romance lover in your life. Stuff some stockings with this gem, and you’ll be sure to make your loved readers merry.
Rating: 4 ½ Stars
