Penny and Hattie are sisters who still live in the house they grew up in. Their father left when they were young but their mother worked hard to care for them. One day while working in the garden, a bee sting killed the woman.

Penny works for a children’s pre-school and Hattie is a beautician. Penny had been married to Buddy but he became abusive which terrified her. One day while Buddy was drunk and passed out inside, his house caught fire and burned down killing Buddy.

Hattie falls in love with a teacher and brings him to live with them. Then she asks Penny for a really huge favor that leaves her shocked. But Hattie adds that she owes her and Penny knows she has no other recourse but to agree.

This is a dark novel of how far sisters will go to protect each other. Sometimes hate and love can commingle but trust and love usually wins out. The ending is a bit of a shocker so it left me a bit confused about some of the story but then, it’s a story and good one. I’m betting readers will enjoy getting to know Penny and Hattie.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the tale of the tortuous and dysfunctional relationship between two sisters, where guilty secrets begin with one of the children's theft of their mother's jewellery. The mother is convinced her husband had pawned, then sold it and the quarrel continues. One day the children's father packs his bags never to return.

When the older sibling, Penny, married a violent man, the house burns down in a mysterious fire. The abusive husband is killed. Murder is added to the list of hidden sins to fester between the siblings. Later, there is ambiguity over which sibling is the true mother to the child?

Sister of Mine plots what happens when guilt and secrets continue to fester being closed doors - sooner or later, the Truth will out. The Truth, however, will still surprise........

Penny's sibling Harry is larger than later Fe, crackling mg with energy and frustrated vitality. Secrets, it seems, corrosively eat at the foundation of anything the sisters attempt to build now as a foundation for family stability.....

There always seems to.be something gothic abut any troubled household - the energy of the parental house crackles too, with undischarged tension and the writer is skilled at depicting the deepening despair of what proves to be an increasingly desperate and destructive scenario.

Sister of Mine should appeal to all those who enjoy a good psychological drama.

Who doesn't love a juicy story with family secrets and suspense? This book had that and more. Penny and Hattie are sisters living with a HUGE secret that could land one or both of them in jail. Penny, the oldest, narrates the story and we can tell she has some serious issues with her younger sister - jealousy, hate, resentment, but also love and protectiveness. After their dad left and their mother died, Penny takes responsibility for the two of them and is pretty domineering over Hattie. When Penny marries and ends up in an abusive relationship, Hattie is there for her. Penny's house mysteriously burns down, killing her husband. What happens next is not what you'd expect. Each of them is always holding one over on the other, like "you owe me" for something but we never really know why. Their relationship is seriously dysfunctional (and maybe a little mental illess at play, too.) The The tension throughout the story adds some really good suspense. I loved Petrou's writing; I get the same vibe from her book as I did with Gillian Flynn. If you want good psychological suspense this is the book for you!

This was an interesting look at how you can love and hate a sibling at the same time and the bond between sisters. I had a bit of trouble with this book as I have a fantastic relationship with my sisters and had trouble imagining a relationship like these two sisters had - plus I really didn't like either sister and neither of them were able to get my sympathy. That said, I found this an interesting look at how secrets can ruin a relationship even among sisters.

Penny and Hattie are sisters in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business and will hold things against people for years. Both girls were bullied in school after their father left the family and that made their bond with each other even stronger. Penny always looked after Hattie and tried to take care of her, especially after their mother died in a freak accident. The story is told by Penny when she moved back into the family home after her abusive husband is killed in a fire. The secrets that the two sisters share about this fire, makes their relationship even more of a love/hate relationship. It seems as if they love each other but much of the time don't really like each other. How long can they keep the secret about the fire before the truth comes out and their relationship is broken?

This was an interesting look at love within a family and how secrets can affect everyone involved with the family.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This book took me by surprise. Told in Penny’s perspective, she gave an account of the life she leads with her younger sister Hattie. And while she constantly claims to love her sister, it is also obvious how she’s jealous of her since they were kids, because Hattie is always the center of attention not only by other people but also their parents. Despite what she’d been through, I can’t fully sympathize with Penny as she holds so much resentment against her sister. I was a bit disappointed not to get to know Hattie’s side of the story, though. She’s such an interesting, lively character and I would like to know how she makes out of everything that’s happened to them. And I think it would have been so much better with her point of view. The sibling has a complex relationship as they hide what they really feel towards each other, acting that they love each other instead. Harboring a secret and the constant fear of said secret going out put a huge strain between them. And the grueling relationship between Hattie and Penny continue to grow as the story slowly advances.

While it is a slow burn, it is also a quick read for me as I was engrossed in the sisters’ tale. It was predictable but still quite a page-turner. The writing style is unique and added a somber feel to the story. Sister of Mine gives an interesting look at a sibling relationship where despite the rivalry and jealousy, there’s still that need to protect each other. And though everything is not what I expected, I ended up enjoying this dark yet compelling novel.

Keep your enemies close and your sister closer. Hattie and Penny are typical sisters. Sometimes they love each other and sometimes they don’t. Like all sisters they share many secrets. Penny goes off to college, meets Buddy, gets married and moves back to her hometown. Buddy becomes abusive to Penny and she wants out. With the help of Hattie she hatches a plan to burn her house down with Buddy inside. This secret binds the sisters for life. This book is the tale of what secrets can do to sisters and how far they will go to repay debts. Penny is the older sister who seems more dependable and down to earth. Hattie is the spoiled baby sister, outgoing and irresponsible. Neither sister is particularly likeable, but this well written book kept me reading to find out the secrets. Following a rather twisted path the book reaches a satisfying conclusion. As a mystery it had some inconsistencies especially with the investigation of the fire but as a dark psychological thriller it hit the mark. I look forward to reading more from Laurie Petrou. I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I
was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

This was a palette cleansing book for me. One of those that carries you away but its still cheesy and predictable in spots. I flew through this book. It kept me interested even though I really could predict how this was going to play out. Sometimes I need one of these to veg out on.

A strange, dark, and twisted story of the love and hate between two sisters. Neither of the sisters is likeable, but they are both fascinating in their darkness. I couldn't decide which of them was the worst though Penny at least had reasons for her behavior.

The writing is very good with vivid descriptions and word pictures. The characters are well depicted and the story moves along at a steady pace with plenty of twists.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending!

I requested Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou from NetGalley earlier this year after the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, contacted me about this new 2018 release. It sounded fantastic, so I added it to my August 2018 TBR queue. I enjoyed this family drama with a few twists and look forward to more from the author.

Fires are dangers. Sometimes they burn out. Sometimes they kill people. And even worse, sometimes, they're deliberate. From the very beginning, you know something bad happened between these two sisters, but you don't truly find out the extent until close to the end of the novel. Along the way, they fight over a man, raise a child together, learn how to hate and love one another... all the while trying to live a normal life. Is that even possible after all they've been through?

Petrou is a new author for me, and I'm glad to have connected with her book. I enjoyed the writing style and the in-depth analysis of the relationship between Hattie and Penny. I immediately liked one and disliked the other, but my attachments waffled a few times before the end. A good author can cause readers to doubt what they're thinking... then bring it all together with a final and powerful ending. While it was powerful, I'm not sure I liked the ending for this one, if I'm being honest. I felt it could have gone a different way, but I still enjoyed the entire ride.

Kudos to the author and publisher. I will look for more from Laurie Petrou and recommend this as a good book to read one weekend... or by a nice cozy fire!

The relationships between sisters are often complicated and fraught with emotion. When it comes to Peggy and Hattie it is also a bond created through guilt, anger, fear and the need to protect each other.

Peggy always feels as if she has to keep Hattie safe, despite being the typical older sister who finds her little sister annoying. Hattie is the unpredictable hothead with a penchant for getting into trouble.

They have a dysfunctional codependent relationship, which starts to disintegrate when the secrets they share start to take their toll on the two of them. What are they hiding? Will Peggy let Hattie blackmail her into the ultimate sacrifice?

Petrou delivers a nice little double-twist at the end, which puts the whole story into perspective. It’s a whirlwind of emotions and filled with haunting feelings of inadequacy, but also takes on difficult topics like domestic violence, misogyny and surrogacy.

It’s an engrossing read, especially in regards to the sister’s relationship. The animosity, bitterness and paranoia is countered by the sisterly bond the two of them share. It’s definitely a book I recommend, because I know exactly what it’s like to share that type of bond. Messed up and hard to sever.

3.5 Stars

Penny and Hattie ... sisters bound by love, hate, secrets and lies. Theirs is a complex, twisted relationship on the brink of breaking wide open.

Penny's abusive husband is killed in a house fire. A year later, a new man appears in her life ... a man that Hattie is also attracted to. As their feelings grow for this man, resentment sets in and sibling rivalry rears its ugly head.

This is a well-written debut novel of psychological suspense. The sisters are finely drawn and the central focus remains on their volatile relationship throughout. Secrets are best kept close, as are sisters. What happens when that closeness snaps?

Many thanks to the author / Crooked Lane Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of SISTER OF MINE. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I was looking forward to reading this book. I was in the mood for a good physiological thriller. Yet, I struggled early on with this book. The sisters were fine but there was nothing interesting about them. Also, the story started moving out slowly. I kept waiting for the story to pick up but it was mot moving fast enough for me. My reading speed of this book was more of a stop and go. After doing this several times, I personally could not go on further reading this book.

I don't know how I feel about this book. I did not like Penny and felt she was delusional most of the book. I felt really bad for Hattie for what happened to her and how she was treated by Penny through out her life. Penny holds so many secrets from people even herself that I'm not sure how she lives with herself. I might have liked this book more if I actually liked Penny. As she is the one talking the whole time in the book, all I kept thinking is you have no idea what you are talking about.

*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Sisters, best friends, secrets, jealousy, resentment. This book has it all!
Penny and Hattie are sisters, three years apart, and best friends. One sister is stuck in an awful marriage as the other agrees to help carry out a permanent solution to the problem. Years later, a man comes into their lives that they both allow to capture their hearts. This brings secrets, resentment, competiveness and jealously to the surface.
The book kept me off-balance from the start, which I feel was purposeful by the author. It was fast-paced towards the middle and the ending was great!
Thank you to Laurie Petrou, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Penny and her sister Hattie have a lot of tragedies and secrets binding them together. Deserted by their father, orphaned when their mom died of a bee sting, Penny widowed when her abusive husband died in a fire. But secrets are hard to keep, and they test the binds of any relationship.

I thought this would be a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller, but it was more just a story of 2 sisters and their lives self-destructing from all the secrets they were keeping. It was a good story overall, just not what I was expecting.

A suspense thriller surrounding two sister, the secrets they keep and how it haunts them. As an only child, I always am curious about sibling relationships. While I did grow up with a cousin who is only a year and a half older in the same household for a number of years who feels more like a sister, it certainly isn't the same as growing up and knowing a sister or brother for most or all of your lifetime.
Have you ever lorded a secret over a sibling or friend? Or continually said that they owed you for doing them a favor of some kind? Whether big or small? Well this book goes to an extreme on this type of behavior. It does well in showing both sides and how each sister feels they've sacrificed for the other.

Starting off with a burning bed type feeling, you're left wondering exactly what happened, even though you know early on the why. The beginning did feel a bit disjointed - from past to present... it could just be the format of the galley - maybe better read in print format. I'm not quite sure. It did come together towards the end but I never felt connected with the characters or the storyline.

A good read for those who love the slow to moderate suspense reads where you circle back to the why of the storyline. It just didn't quite hit the mark for my taste.

The strenuous relations between sisters, Penny & Hattie, with the secrets, lies, jealousies, and resentments will become more prevalent and captivating as the book develops. However, when Penny inroduces a man to Hattie and brings him into their fractured lives---"all hell breaks loose!"

I read this book in two days because the way the book is written, just sucks you in! This is a dysfunctional family tale that begs the question; "What are you willing to sacrifice to pay a debt?"

Many thanks to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Laurie Petrou for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

"Sisters, like secrets, are best kept close."

Sisters Penny and Hattie have been extremely close since childhood. So close that they even share a deep dark secret that they can't escape from. Will this secret be the one thing that finally tears them apart?

Tragically, one night, Penny's abusive husband is killed in a house fire leaving Penny alone with nowhere to live. The sisters decide to move into their old family home together so Penny can move on with her life. A year goes by after the fire and things seem to be going very well for Penny and Hattie, that is until Penny brings home Jameson, a charming guy she met at the school in town. Each sister lets him into their heart - but will their love for him destroy everything they have tried to keep secret? The bonds of sisterhood start to unravel as lies begin to grow one right after the other - will the secret they share start to unravel and blow up in flames too?

This is a compelling, well-written domestic suspense novel that I was drawn right into from the start. A riveting story of family ties, unthinkable acts, and seeing just how far someone will go to protect the ones they really love.

*Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the invite to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love-hate relationship? Sisters Penny and Hattie Grayson have taken it to a whole 'nother level. Now that I think about it, that's kind of the way I feel about this book. At one sitting, I loved it; at the next, not so much. The only thing my split brain could come together on is that I really didn't like either [twisted] sister.

That's not to say, though, that it's not a good book; in fact, I finished it easily in two days, actually carving out time to read more when I should have been doing other things.

The two girls - Penny is the elder - have been bonded by shared secrets ever since childhood and their father's decision to walk out and their mother's subsequent (and untimely) death. Much later, that bond is fueled when a fire destroys Penny's home (and in it her abusive husband). Now, the sisters move into their old family home, trying to make a new life for themselves and escape the rumors, innuendos and hatred of former friends and neighbors over something their gone-missing father did.

Their uneasy truce continues until the day Penny meets a handsome, intriguing new teacher and introduces him to Hattie. Ever the outgoing, charming sister, Hattie charms him away from Penny, who rationalizes that she "owes" it to Hattie to give up her claim on the guy - to the point of supporting their marriage and agreeing to live together in the same house (a quote from the book offers one explanation for that: "Let no man put asunder. Let no man pull us under.")

From the first page, of course, it was clear that all's well wouldn't end well - the only question was when, and how, would it all start to unravel, and which sister would be the one to call, a la Shakespeare's Macduff, hold enough? Tension builds as the sisters continue to bicker - each afraid the other might spill the secret beans - and they grudgingly agree to a somewhat unique approach to motherhood. In the end, faced with a son whose behavior appears to be fueled by his mother's and aunt's actions, everything comes to a head (amid a few surprises).

For my part, I was left with a few questions, not the least of which is what did their father do all those years ago to become a social pariah? Was their mother's death really an accident? And why did it take the local cop so many years to figure out the incongruity at the scene of the fire that killed Penny's husband?

All in all, though, this is a well-written book that those who enjoy psychological thrillers should enjoy, and the length makes it an easy read that's great for the beach or a doctor's waiting room. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance review copy.

This is one of those books that my eager little finger couldn't resist hitting the request button for over at NetGalley even though I knew nothing about it and I hadn't heard of the author before. The cover struck something in me so I figured what the hell. I am so glad I did. I love it when you have no expectations and the book ends up being very unique and incredibly compelling. Sister of Mine was that book for me.

We have Penny and Hattie, two orphaned sisters, that are bound to one another in lies. They live together in their deceased mother's home and rarely let the outside world into their orbit. They prefer each others company because they are afraid that if anyone should enter their secrets will be discovered and their perfectly safe existence will be destroyed in a flash.

Then, one day, a man enters their life and they become three. Laughing and drinking in the hot summer breeze. Enjoying each others company until the facade begins to crumble right before our eyes.

I really don't want to say much more about the plot. Just know that there are plenty of secrets to be revealed in these pages.

Watching the relationship between these sisters was fascinating. Love? Hate? Undying loyalty? Resentments? Envy? Protector? You never really know what you're going to get at anytime between these two. This book is one big mood swing but I mean that in the best way possible. I honestly couldn't stop reading. Sometimes I liked them. Sometimes I hated them. But through it all I always had an understanding of where they were coming from and for why they were feeling the way they were feeling.

I loved Lori Petrou's voice and writing style and I'm eager to check out more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books from proving me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.