Beauty. Wealth. Success.She’s got it all.And it all should’ve been mine.When Eleanor Hardwicke’s beloved father dies, her world is further shattered by a gut-wrenching secret: the man she’s grieving isn’t really her dad. Eleanor was the product of an affair and her biological father is still out there, living blissfully with the family he chose. With her personal life spiraling, a desperate … chose. With her personal life spiraling, a desperate Eleanor seeks him out, leading her to uncover another branch on her family tree—an infuriatingly enviable half sister.
Perfectly perfect Victoria has everything Eleanor could ever dream of. Loving childhood, luxury home, devoted husband. All of it stolen from Eleanor, who plans to take it back. After all, good sisters are supposed to share. And quiet little Eleanor has been waiting far too long for her turn to play.
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An electrifying read. If you think you know where this story is headed, watch out… McKinnon has a few tricks up her sleeve. A must-read!
“Sinister, simmering, cinematic–and absolutely riveting. The oh-so-talented Hannah Mary McKinnon skillfully and cleverly twists and turns this unstoppable story of envy and obsession, and powers it to a gasp-worthy conclusion. Wow. Standing ovation!
A grieving daughter, a jealous sister – nothing is as it seems in Hannah Mary McKinnon’s latest slow-burn suspense, Sister Dear. This one creeps up the back of your neck then explodes into an ending that I guarantee you won’t soon forget…and will leave you begging for a sequel. Smart, addictive, and genuinely surprising.
A wickedly dark and addictive read, Dear Sister begins as a slow-burn exploration of love, loss and grief shifts but shifts midway through into a twisted tale of secrets and revenge.
First, I want to thank Hannah Mary McKinnon, Harlequin Books S.A., and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
WOW!! Hannah Mary Mckinnon continues to write incredible books with jaw dropping shocking endings! Sister Dear Is just as good if not better than all of the others I have read from her.
This book starts off in the present day and then jumps back to fifteen months earlier when Eleanor’s life is flipped upside down.
Hannah from chapter two immediately pulls hard on my heart strings. We learn that her Dad only has four months to live as he is dying of pancreatic cancer. Even though they were close there were secrets he was keeping from her that would tear her world inside out.
Hannah did an incredible job portraying the love that this father had for his daughter. So much emotion poured into this relationship.
I will admit there were some scenes when I wanted to yell and scream at some of the characters for the way they were behaving towards Eleanor. There were things done that were just so wrong on so many levels within the family.
There were some shocking twists and turns towards the end of this book that left me speechless.
Hannah Mary McKinnon sure knows how to create characters! You’ll be sympathetic, adoring one, and as quick as a bee sting McKinnon throws a curve and you despise that same person. And I say person, not character, because they come alive on the page. Sister Dear will keep you on the edge of your seat and shaking your head. I applaud Hannah’s twisted mind (said with a smile). Don’t miss this one!
WOW, just WOW!! This is the best book yet by Hannah Mary McKinnon. It has it all. From the very first word to the dramatic ending you will be immersed into this story of love, loss, family, envy, sadness, danger… Well done Ms McKinnon. Very well done indeed!
This is the story of two sisters. One very privileged and the other very poor. While Eleanor is taking care of her dying father she finds out that he is not her true biological father. But he has always been there for her and she loves him with all her heart. After his death she finds out who her biological dad is and she sets out to meet him. He of course wants nothing to do with her. She then devises a way to get to know her half sister, Victoria. Eleanor’s mother is an awful woman who has never ever been kind to her in any way. Nor has her other sister, Amy. They are two of a kind. Users who only think of themselves. I truly detested Sylvia, Eleanor’s mother. She was such a horrible, terrible human being. She treated Eleanor like she was nothing.
Victoria was born rich. She’s the child Eleanor’s biological father raised. The one he loved. The only one he wanted anything to do with. Victoria has her own company. A rich husband and the kind of life she well deserves. Or does she. Does she really deserve anything? That is a hard one. Getting to know her was all Eleanor wanted. She devised a way to befriend Victoria and they did become the best of friends. Eleanor designed a web sight for Victoria and for Hugh too. Victoria seem to truly like Eleanor. Of course she didn’t know that Eleanor was in fact her half sister.
This book is going to blow you away. I did not see this coming in any way, shape for fashion. I would have not believed it had I not read it for myself. It was so well crafted. Well written. It took my breath away. I love when a story truly gets me. When it comes as a complete shock. This book has an ending that honestly will leave you breathless. In some ways I hope there will be a sequel, but in others I loved the way it ended. It did end by the way. The one time it seems evil may have won. It just may have.
The characters in this story are so well written. So rich and realistic. You will love them and love to hate a few. This is a story of family but family at their worse in many ways. The love of a family sure. The love between a man and woman also. The love of a woman for her half sister. All she wanted was a family that accepted her for who she was.
Thank you #NetGalley, #HannahMaryMcKinnon, #HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada)
MIRA. This is my own review as I see it.
A big fat 5 star read for me and the highest recommendation ever. Best McKinnon book yet!
Sister Dear is fabulous, with a bombshell twist you won’t see coming. I devoured it.
Even though I enjoyed this book as I was reading it I kept trying to figure out why it was a marketed as a thriller. I mean, I really enjoyed it, it just felt more like Women’s Fiction to me.
Then things got crazy and then they got really crazy and then I was doing that thing where I was walking around my house reading as I went, hoping no one needed anything because I couldn’t set it down for a minute.
It just got better and better!
Thank you to Hannah Mary McKinnon, HARLEQUIN, and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon is a dark, intense psychological thriller that captivated me from the very beginning. It is full of suspense, twists and turns and the ending both shocked and surprised me. The author is to be commended for carefully crafted, brilliant creation of the characters. This the first book I’ve read by this author and can’t wait to read more of her books. I rated it a five.
Felt alone all your life.
Surrounded by people but not wanted by them.
Abandoned by the one person you looked up to – your dad.
Binge eating your way through life.
Eleanor Hardwicke is a character who resonates with us at many levels.
Her “waves of rage, sadness and desperation” become our own.
We want to know more about her story because maybe underneath it all we want to know more about our own.
Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon is one of the most brutally real psychological thrillers that I have read. And wickedly funny in a diabolical way. I kept walking around the house giving the character suggestions to escape whatever was coming her way before realizing that this was a book and Eleanor was a character and not my ‘Sister Dear.’
It is in her deep seated power of observation that Hannah shines. Line by line, page by page is peppered by facts so close to home that we get sucked into believing they are real. It’s also what ends up having us chat with them:)
Abandoned, eat-a-holic, shabby, angry and depressed Eleanor is pitted against uber rich, beautiful , successful and perfectly poised Victoria.
Jealousy is the name of the game. Or is it?
Be prepared to keep taking sides. My neck kept getting twisted. Eleanor is right. No.no. Her sister Victoria is right. Noooo. It was a virtual tennis match.
Who is evil?
Is no one evil?
Are all evil?
Buy the book to know more. You won’t get a pipsqueak of the ending out of me.
Be warned though, Sister Dear will make you look at your sister or for that matter your sibling differently(for a bit).
The ending had me rooting for a sequel and a movie too. Guess I’m just being greedy.
Happy Reading 🙂
If you are looking for happily ever after -this is not it-
A deeply disturbing psychological profile of emotional disassociation and abuse passed down generationally -taken to a tragic end-
Wow! This was a compelling, twisted, psychological thriller that I could not put down until I finished. It will also grab at your heart in some ways and make you wonder what can cause a person to be so evil.
A flawed protagonist, characters who aren’t what they seem, layers of secrets, and one hell of a twist ending! I had trouble putting this one down.
This story builds and builds, revealing layers about the main character and narrator of the novel–until readers are treated to not just one twist, but two, and an ending that is at once heartbreaking, thought provoking, and spot on for all that’s gone before.
Hannah Mary McKinnon unfolds this story like a rattle snake coming out of hiding, moving ever so slowly with precise execution to strike its victim! In “Sister Dear” the twists were wicked fast and you absolutely do not see them coming! They have bite!
You’ll be scared!! The hair on your arms will stand up! You may even look around your room once or twice! Hannah is phenomenal at rolling out the story!
Between the exceptional writing and the unforgiving storyline, it’s hard to put the book down.
It’s also impossible to decide which Sister you are rooting for!! But, I chose! Will you?
This is a MUST READ if you enjoy thrillers! To not read it, would be a shame!
I was given a copy of the book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Holy WOW! I was really enjoying the storyline but questioned why this was billed as a thriller. The family dynamics were messed up and full of questions and mystery but…I didn’t see this as a thriller. Then BAM and I couldn’t put the book down. Then BAM and I was so caught up in the story I didn’t realize it was 3:30 in the morning. Then BAM BAM BAM. Two days later I’m still thinking of the characters! Awesome read.
! I can let out my breath now! Reading “Sister Dear” was a book that had me gripping the pages. The mystery and surprises had me guessing throughout the story. I think I was actually gasping out loud with tingles up my back. (as my husband looked at me; “What’s the matter with you?”…LOL)
Upon her father’s death, Eleanor learns a devastating family secret. Searching for the truth; she finds herself in a dark abyss of danger and deceit. Her emotions transform her into someone she doesn’t recognize. “… , – .”
Hannah Mary McKinnon has skillfully written a story that had me drawn in from the beginning. I look forward to her next book; hoping Eleanor’s story is not over. Wow!
~This novel was given to me through a giveaway in exchange for a fair and honest review.~
I was fortunate enough to have won this book through a Book Trib giveaway. I have to admit that I was hooked from the very first page … a welcome break from my online course.
Eleanor, a self-employed web designer who has some inner demons, finds out the man who raised her was not her biological father. The road she goes down leads her to Lewis who couldn’t possibly be interested in her, or could he? Follow Eleanor as she scores a couple of new clients that lead her down a path that she was not expecting.
This is a twisty read filled with dysfunctional family relationships, a bit of a love story, and an ending that you will not see coming. Get your copy!
This is the first book I’ve read by Hannah Mary McKinnon and I loved it.
Quick Summary:
Eleanor is not close to her mother and sister but she does have a close relationship with her father. Her Father is dying from cancer and she finds out he is not her biological father. Her mother had an affair with a married man and her biological father paid her mother to stay away. Eleanor goes to find him and he rejects her. She finds out she has a sister with a perfect life, perfect husband and they are wealthy. She decides to get close to her sister to take revenge on her biological father. This is where the story really begins to take off.
It’s a dark, twisty and sinister novel as it takes a close look at the relationship between half sisters where Jealousy is the main motive. You think you know what is happening but then you are surprised by the actions of the characters. Your sympathy towards each characters changes as the story develops.
The ending was unexpected and so different from other psychological thrillers.