Helpful Score: 2
Rebecca's life is comfortable but unfulfilling - she doesn't like her job as a paralegal doing divorce mediation and she's more scared than excited about the idea of her boyfriend proposing. But when her father dies after an astounding deathbed confession, her life is profoundly changed.
Her father tells her he had an affair, and that it resulted in a child. Rebecca, realizing that she has a sister, heads out to find her last remaining family member.
Joy has grown up without a father, and isn't as welcoming as Rebecca would like, but Rebecca is determined.
Overall, the book brought up a lot of questions - most specifically "what makes a man cheat?" And what makes a family? And how do you know when a relationship is over or when to try harder?
I really enjoyed this book, and definitely recommend it. Melissa Senate is one of my favorite writers, and I look forward to more from her!
Her father tells her he had an affair, and that it resulted in a child. Rebecca, realizing that she has a sister, heads out to find her last remaining family member.
Joy has grown up without a father, and isn't as welcoming as Rebecca would like, but Rebecca is determined.
Overall, the book brought up a lot of questions - most specifically "what makes a man cheat?" And what makes a family? And how do you know when a relationship is over or when to try harder?
I really enjoyed this book, and definitely recommend it. Melissa Senate is one of my favorite writers, and I look forward to more from her!
Helpful Score: 2
I'm shocked by the terrific reviews that this book has generated. While the premise was interesting and I was somewhat engaged by the first half of the book, the last half felt forced to me - the actions of the main character and the requisite happy ending tied up too neatly and quickly. Maybe it's me, but I'd like to think I'm not too old for stories about family, love and relationships that are well written. This one didn't fill the bill for me.
Helpful Score: 1
The Secret of Joy (great title) is above-average chick lit. Rebecca's journey to connect with a possible half-sister she never knew existed brings the reader to a pretty coastal town in Maine and in touch with interesting women all wrestling with relationships. Does DNA alone make a sister? When is a marriage/relationship worth fighting for and when should you move on? Why does a married man cheat? There is also the theme of finding joy in your work and not living life in a rut. Pleasant read.
