Lori Wilde has a gift and if ever in doubt of what that means then just read THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS her newest novel. Lori Wilde has written several wonderfully enjoyable series that range from central casting of cowboys to CEO’s. And then of course her journey into standalone novels. I am admittedly a longtime fan and a collector of anything Lori Wilde. THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS is destined to be another dog-eared book – it is that good.
Once again in writing a review I am challenged with enticing a potential reader and at the same time leaving much to their discovery. So my summary may appear brief – on purpose.
THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS grabs your attention and heart right from the start. We are reminded of events that occurred in a small town hospital – Moonglow Cove Memorial – during a hurricane. Short staffed, electricity issues, overcrowded obstetrical department. How on earth could tragedy be averted in a situation like this and alas a child is stillborn. But that isn’t the end of the chaos. The mystery of what evolved in the ten bed labor room will linger for years for the most part unknown. A mother gives birth to twin girls and yet only goes home with one living child. Did someone play God in all that chaos? And if so just what would the ramifications be for one rather innocent but thought of benevolent decision. And that is what is central to THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS.
One little girl Anna is given away to the couple whose child was still born. Time for the first gasp in this story. The other twin Amelia goes home with her birth parents. Amelia is going home to a life with wealth. Anna is going home with a man and his wife who have been unsuccessful in having a child of their own. Whose home will be filled with love? Which child is luckier with this twist of fate?
The beginning will have you on edge and rather uncomfortable for sure as intended by Lori Wilde. No one has the right to make this kind of decision. And then you realize that is just the tip of the iceberg for these two little girls.
THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS is divided into chapters that speak to us from various characters – mostly Anna and Amelia. In their own voices we discover much about how each of their lives have been since they were born. Amelia is fully aware that she had a twin that unfortunately died in childbirth. She is unfairly and harshly reminded of that by her own mother. Another gasp when we learn of this. Amelia describes her upbringing as stoic with little coddling or overindulging.
But this story is meant to be a heart tugging tale and Lori Wilde does an amazing job of creating twins and their life stories fated to come together many years after they were born. Amelia discovers that her twin did not die. She goes out to find Anna. She needs Anna in more ways than you can imagine. What happens when the twins are reunited is the heart of THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS by Lori Wilde.
THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS tops my list of Lori Wilde all-time favorites. It is that good and mesmerizing from start to finish.

Anna’s life it turned upside down when a woman shows up as the twin sister she didn’t know that she had. ARC from NetGalley.

This book started off great. However, it started to fall apart a bit when Anna's husband, who was worried about the arrival of an unknown twin sister of Anna's, was skeptical of Amelia (the twin). He is worried for his family's safety, yet leaves for a work trip and tells Anna not to call him! If he was really concerned, he'd stay in touch with his family!
It got better after that, but then when the revealing moment of why Amelia was there happened, the characters just didn't act inline with how they had been acting.
Still, I believe this book will have a large audience, and won't hesitate to recommend it to readers, it just wasn't for me.