I first fell in love with the people (and animals) of the Busara Elephant Research and Rescue Camp in Every Serengeti Sunrise – which tells the story of three childhood friends whom readers first met as children in the previous books of the series. I was immediately enchanted by this idea of a multi-generational series and getting to hang out with beloved characters as their kids grow up and fall in love in their own stories.

We spent a lot of time with Pippa in Every Serengeti Sunrise and I adore her free spirit and compassionate heart! After the events from that book, I felt very protective of her heart going in to The Twin Test. Dax had some steep hurdles to pass before I would give him my blessing (like i have anything to do with it lol), and there were times when I wasn’t sure he was going to clear those hurdles. But he does have some mighty fine kisses in him – and that epilogue? ALL THE FEELS. I’m still not sure I’ve recovered from that sweet final chapter of the book.

And his girls – oh, my heart. They sure knew how to push everyone’s buttons at first – think the kids from Mary Poppins, The Parent Trap and The Sound of Music. Fern and Ivy would fit right in with their pranks on Dax and their nannies, not to mention their tendency to wander off from where they were supposed to be … right into the very places they shouldn’t be. Not something you want to encourage in children in the suburbs or cities – much less the Serengeti. From lions to elephants to Maasai warriors to evil poachers and careless frackers, the dangers are real and deadly. But the beauty is just as real and it’s full of hope and life. I love how Pippa connected with the girls and helped them connect with the world around them and the people there too.

Bottom Line: The Kenya series from Rula Sinara transports this completely-non-adventurous person to a land of breathtaking natural beauty and adventure – right from the safety of my favorite reading spot. The characters – in each generation – take up residence in your heart and feel like long lost friends, and the environmental lessons tucked gently into their stories will linger with you for quite some time. Pippa has her moment to shine in The Twin Test, and she shines brightly. This was a perfect ending, I thought, for this touching series and I resigned myself to it being the end. But wait! What’s this I see? A sixth book coming out in January? Cue the excited fanfare! Here’s to the future generations of this series and many more stories.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

This is the fifth book in the series but can easily be read as a stand alone.

I enjoyed reading Pippa's story after first meeting her in the first book in the series. I liked the hero Dax and his trying to take care of his rambunctious twin daughters. I loved the African setting and the author's knowledge of the region and its people.

A very sweet story of two people who've been hurt before finding their to a new love.

There was an epilogue that brought us way into the future--60 years. Although after finishing books I love I always wish for a glimpse into their future, I think that thing is better left to the reader's imagination. A case of "be careful what you wish for".

Not my favorite of the series, but still a good read!

The Twin Test is Pippa's story--a much-needed HEA for the character who was left behind by her almost-(or at least expected-)fiance in Every Serengeti Sunrise . Dax is a great hero for her story, and Pippa is clearly the only woman in Kenya--heck, probably on the planet!--who can help him tame his twins. Ivy and Fern are the cause of many an LOL moment in the book as they admirably perform the job of children everywhere--making adults rethink every difficult moment they gave their parents as children. Poor Pippa! ;) (And poor Dax! Though at least they eventually have each other to help them get through the soon-to-be-upon them teen years, so that's something, at least.)

Two minor complaints: the side plot involving Dax's job (and reason for being in Africa) still felt somewhat unresolved at the end, and that sixty-years-later epilogue was more of a downer (for me, at least) than a sweet resolution. I mean, yes, it was sweet, BUT...

I'm not going to say any more about it--you'll have to read it yourself. But if you know me at all, you can probably make a guess about what's going on in sixty years that I didn't need to know about. (Or, if you're my brother, you've already heard me complain about it live and in person. Sorry, bro-man!)

The Twin Test, though fifth in the series, would work fairly well as a standalone. It will have more of an impact if you've read book four and watched Pippa's earlier drama unfold in that book already, but if you haven't, no worries since she lets you know what you need to here. And of course if you've read The Promise of Rain and/or After the Silence , you saw a good chunk of Pippa's childhood and will appreciate even more what the twins put her through here.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars / C+

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This was a really enjoyable story for someone like me who reads a lot of children's books. It was almost like reading a middle grade novel from the adults' perspective! Though it's the fifth book of a series, it worked fine for me as a stand-alone, since the author makes sure to fill in any missing background details where needed.

From the beginning, I liked both Pippa, the geologist-turned-teacher and Dax, the seismologist and father of twins whom he asks Pippa to look after. I also found the twins to be believable eleven-year-olds and not just props or talking heads. Some parts of the story had a bit of a Parent Trap vibe (like the camping trip), but the setting (Kenya) and involvement of the Maasai community, elephant babies, fracking, and environmental preservation in the plot were unique aspects of the book that made it different from other romances I've read. This book has substance beyond just a simple love story, and I was pleased by that. I also love the way the author brings all the threads of the story together at the end. The dramatic climax and sweet resolution to the love story are both very satisfying. I've only read a few books from the Heartwarming line, but this is my favorite so far.

http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=66010

reviewer: Clare O'Beara
recommendation: Majestic Kenya has shocks in store
title: THE TWIN TEST

Dax is a Earthquake expert working with some oil company and brought his twins along for the ride. When the kids were up to their antics again leaving him desperate for another nanny to fill in while he works he comes across Pippa. Pippa is much more free spirited then he would've liked since hes such a stickler for rules but needs her help. Both have their own set of issues when it comes to love and the last thing they expect is to fall for one another.

I really enjoyed this book more then I thought it would. If you are the type of person who enjoyed a heartwarming books, with twins that are up to trouble, and a slight bit of romance you'll enjoy this book. I loved getting to know the two main characters. I loved that the twins didn't fall to the side because sometimes kids tend to disappear when adults start to fall for one another, not sure what that is about but the twins did remain throughout the story and I loved seeing them slowly change into better people. I loved seeing how Pippa was there to help not only this family but many others bring education to those who needed it, she even helped out Dax to open his eyes a bit to certain situations. There is plenty to enjoy when it comes to reading this book and its hard to speak about without spoiling it but Id recommend you lovely readers to check out this book because I really enjoyed it.