Blurb
What if you did something so devastating, you regretted it for the rest of your life? Nineteen-year-old Maggie Lockwood spent a year in prison for her part in a fire that cost three lives. The scars carried by the surviving victims – inside and out – are still raw and Maggie’s release from jail does nothing to free her from the guilt. Returning home, Maggie hides herself away, too afraid to see Keith, the boy she grew up with, played with as a child – and recently learnt is her half-brother. Keith nearly lost his life in the fire and the emotional and physical wounds he carries have changed him forever. .With childhood innocence gone, Maggie and Keith must learn to come to terms with their new lives, but trying to move forward will have deadly consequences …
My Thoughts
Well… I LOVED THIS! I didn’t think it was possible to love a story as much I loved this one yet here I am tearing up about it when I finished it, like, four days ago. Oh look, I’ve got goosebumps! LOL. What a wonderful story, the pace and characters so beautifully crafted that I just read and read and never wanted it to stop. It was quite an interesting scenario, with Maggie going to prison and being released after a year, and Keith being her brother but also a victim from the fire. One thing that resonated with me was everyone’s emotions. They were so raw and real, so much so that I found myself tearing up, or talking out aloud, or cursing at or with them. It was that easy to lose yourself among the characters. I didn’t care for Sara at all I’m afraid. It goes without saying that Jamie was a twat, not matter how hard he tried to justify himself, but I didn’t care for Sara’s constant manipulation of the situation. She knowingly entered that afraid knowing that he was married, that’s wrong. Period. It added to the story though, and let’s be honest that’s how things happen in real life anyway, so I’m glad it was in there but I do have very strong opinions on that topic.
Jen was a very interesting character in this story. I knew something was up with here but I couldn’t put my finger on it and I didn’t see the twist coming! I think twists are always expected in thriller/suspense type novels, so much so, that when you read something like this you don’t necessarily expect them. So when you get one, I think it’s the sign of a pretty spectacular, beautifully written, all consuming work of art. I couldn’t recommend this story more.
I rated Secrets She Left Behind: 5/5 stars
Happy Reading!
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Definitely going to check it out, thanks for the review!
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