Secrets and trauma can follow you for a lifetime, and this was true for foster sisters Nichole and Krystal. Nichole is committed to a psych ward after allegedly attempting to kill her husband, and Krystal (who is now a lawyer) rushes to her aid. Krystal does everything she can to uncover answers as to why Nichole believed her husband was an imposter and set fire to their home, but in doing so, she finds herself digging up a past she and Nichole promised to leave behind.

This was definitely a page-turning suspenseful read, and I really enjoyed it! I loved how Nichole and Krystal’s past was intertwined with the present, and I thought the author did a wonderful job of only leaving a few bread crumbs here and there to build up the suspense factor. The ending was a huge surprise and absolutely made this book worth reading. Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4054014422

This book was so addictive—couldn’t put it down! I was dying to find out the truth along with sisters Krystal and Nichole. Many exciting twists..this book did not disappoint! This is the first book I’ve read by Lucinda Berry, and going to add all her others to my TBR!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!

The Secrets of Us is told in two parts--Krystal now, and Nichole then. A catastrophic event happens now and we are taken back to when the girls were young and we learn more about their time growing up. As we are taken back and forth, we are plunged further and further into their lives.

As time passes and Krystal rushes to help Nichole, more and more events are brought to the surface. They do not necessarily clear things up, as I was left with more and more questions as I read.

A twisty psychological thriller, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Lucinda Berry's latest book. It was similar to her others in that it had a semi-predictable plot but still a few twists. It was a quick and easy read. It took me 3 nights before bed and I was finished! If you are looking for a simple summer read, this is the book for you!

A great read! Two sisters who are trying to escape their past. They are now grown and are successful adults. One day, Krystal gets a call that Nichole is in the hospital. Nichole is also being accused of trapping her husband in their house that she caught on fire. Nicole is placed in a psychiatric hospital and Krystal will do whatever it takes to help and save her.

Will Krystal find out what really happened?

This is a story about the secrets that bind us.

I liked but didn’t love this book. I thought the depiction of psychosis was well rendered (the author is a psychologist so no surprise there) & the narrative was tight and well paced… but it felt too short. I wanted more time around the relationships, and space to get attached to the characters. This might just be a me issue!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ . 💫 / 5

Thank you so much Netgalley & Thomas & Mercer for the eArc!!

The Secrets of Us- Lucinda Berry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I have seen tons of review on Lucinda Berry’s books and I was so excited when I got selected to review an ARC of her new book. I’m sure that this won’t be my last of her books either. It was very thrilling and you can tell that she has extensive knowledge in the psychological field. It shows in her writing and made for a thrilling read. I would have liked more details a bit more and felt the story could have been developed more but that would probably have made a very long book. Or maybe it’s because I didn’t want it to end. The ending completely blew me away and I have to admit I was a little miffed it ended like that. I almost thought I didn’t get the whole book. But it also makes you keep thinking about it so I guess that the author did her job. I very much enjoyed it and am excited to read her other work now. Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book even if my review is a little late. You can buy your copy of #TheSecretsofUs today. Or order a copy from @warburgpubliclibrary

Lucinda Berry's latest release, The Secrets of Us, will have readers flipping through the pages frantically, trying to determine the truth among the secrets. Foster sisters Krystal and Nichole grew up in less than ideal circumstances, on a farm that was more of a work camp for foster children. As adults they became each other's family and identify as sisters. In spite of their circumstances both have created lives in which they are seemingly thriving. This carefully created narrative starts to unravel when Krystal receives a phone call that Nichole believes her husband has been taken over by an impostor-and is ranting madly. Krystal, fiercely protective of Nichole, must pull layers of the past that have long since been buried-including a tragic secret that could destroy them both. Desperate to find the truth the sisters must face the past in a race against time. What happens when the lie is not far from the truth-what would you believe? These questions and more are answered in The Secrets of Us!

This is another hit by Lucinda Berry. Told breathtakingly fast, with alternative timelines and perspectives, readers are given an inside out look at Krystal and Nichole's past and how it is tied to the present. The twists keep coming and fans will not be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was a fast-paced and engaging read, focused on foster sisters Krystal and Nichole, and told in alternating POVs from Krystal as an adult and from Nichole in flashbacks. The story starts quickly with Nichole having been accused of trying to kill her husband, and Krystal doing everything she can to figure out what is really going on.

The relationship between the sisters was really well done and the characters felt like they were built out well. I don't know enough about the foster care system to know if that's how it really works, but if so, it's quite tragic. There was a surprise at the end that I absolutely didn't see coming, and it increased my enjoyment of the book.

Though the book was fast-paced, there were a few times where it got just a little repetitive, mostly through Krystal's actions and internal monologue, but it didn't detract me from racing through pages to see what happened.

Overall, good read that I'd recommend to those who like mysteries and psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Lucinda Berry's books and this one did not disappoint. Well told thriller that keeps you interested until the end. I highly recommend this book.

This is the first book I read from this author and it was a great suspenseful story with plenty of twists and turns. The characters are engaging and the plot is different from other thrillers, which was something I enjoyed. I’d recommend this his book.

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

This was my first book to read by this author and I can't wait to read more! The characters are amazing and the story flows so well. Really cannot recommend this one enough!!

The Secrets of Us packs in all the essentials of a good thriller. It’s fast, well-written, with a smart plot, well-developed characters and the right amount of unpredictability.

It’s a story of two foster sisters, Krystal and Nichole, who are closer to each other than lot of biologically related siblings. Nichole is happily married to Aiden, and Krystal is a successful lawyer. But the perfect world falls apart when during Krystal receives a call informing her that Nichole is admitted to psychiatric ward after setting her own house on fire trapping her husband inside. The story unravels from here to find the answers to the whos, hows and whys. We get two simultaneous perspectives from Krystal and Nichole, first one from the present day after Nichole set her house on fire, and the second from the sisters’ teenage days in foster home. Berry uses her clinician background to the fullest in diving deep into reasons and effects of psychosis. I loved how much time this story spent on the motive of the crime or the reason behind Nichole’s breakdown.

The relationship between the two sisters is beautifully explored. Most of the characters have multiple dimensions, way beyond just good and evil. Every few chapters it takes a wild turn baffling the reader, but it never goes beyond believable. It shows the everlasting effects of childhood trauma and the burden of difficult secrets on human psyche. And it does all that in a quick-paced engaging story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by Lucinda Berry and the pages flew fast, will definitely be reading more from this author. This story is heartbreaking and gripping at the same time. It’s a tale of 2 foster girls with an unbreakable bond and the lies and secrets that destroyed them. Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you NetGalley for sending the copy towards my way.

Read the book -

- If you are looking for a unique and interesting character exploration of of two foster sisters with a dark past.
- If you like pulse-pounding stories/Novel.
- If you love smart psychological thrillers.

I would definitely recommend this one. .
Thanks,
Tanjim Ferdous
IG - tanjim1

This book was really good! The book begins with Nicole being committed to a mental hospital for trying to burn her husband to death in their home. Khrystal, a lawyer, rushes to her sister's side to try and figure out what has happened and why she is in such a terrible mental state. As far as she knows, they have a great marriage and a perfect life together. However, as the facts slowly are revealed and Khrystal starts to piece together what caused Nicole's behavior, the story really picks up. Khrystal and Nicole are foster sisters who grew up together from about age 6 or so on in the same foster family. They both endured terrible emotional abuse at the hands of their foster mother and sister. I loved the back and forth between the past and the present with both the main characters, Khrystal and Nicole. They both have a lot to hide and secrets to guard and they would do anything for each other. So many twists and turns in this fabulous story that I did not see the end coming... Yet another great read from Lucinda Berry who is quickly turning into one of my favorite authors. Thanks so much to NG for the ARC!!! Do not miss this thriller!!

I have become quite a fan of Lucinda Berry’s books, and this one did not disappoint! It grabbed my interest right away and I could not put it down. Part mystery and part psychological thriller, with lots of twists that kept me guessing. Loved the way the chapters were told alternately from each sister’s point of view - Krystal’s in the present and Nichole’s in the past. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes the thriller genre. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Deliciously twisted!

The Secrets of Us is an utterly gripping novel, with a fascinating premise. It tells a tale of two foster sisters who have suffered a terrible tragedy, and carry burdensome secrets about their past. When one of the sisters, Nichole, is committed to a psychiatric hospital after trying to kill her husband, the other drops everything to figure out what really happened to her sister.

Nichole's madness was written in a brilliant, insightful manner. The well-developed characters and the bonds they shared made the book even more thrilling to read. The author is careful not to reveal too much, too soon, making for a gripping novel.

The side-by-side story telling of the past and present is not a unique strategy in thriller novels, but it is often difficult to get right. Berry found the sweet spot by keeping both timelines interesting, leaving the reader wanting more. The book was often difficult to put down, and I had to force myself to stop reading.

Definitely a recommended read, especially if you're looking for a thriller to read in a single sitting.

I love Lucinda Berry's books and I have read all but one of them. Her background as a former clinical psychologist and leading researcher in childhood trauma is perfect for her psychological thrillers.

Having said that, The Secrets of Us did not grab me quite like I was anticipating or how most of her other books have. Yes, it's action-packed and filled with secrets galore and some well-intended twists. However, with such a small cast of characters, it was rather easy to anticipate what was coming, and the ending was more melodramatic than it was thrilling.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this one but didn't love it. But that will not deter me from looking forward to picking up Berry's next book.

A huge thank you to Lucinda Berry, Thomas and Mercer, and NetGalley for an ecopy in exchange for my honest opinion.