What I Loved:

Well, this book was just fabulous! I absolutely loved that the story kept taking me in a different direction. I would think I knew what was happening, and then something would change, and I’d be blown away by the new information. It was absolutely wonderful!

My Synopsis:

Eleanor Hardwicke has just found out that her father, a man she wholly loves and respects is not actually her biological father. She has just the name of her actual father and begins to research who he is. What she finds is a half-sister she didn’t know she had living the life she feels was meant for her.

Victoria, Eleanor’s newly-found sister seems to have everything and as Eleanor learns more and more about Victoria, she wants nothing more than to be her.

How I Felt:

The characters in this book drew out such emotion from me. I would be infuriated by Eleanor’s actions, and then the next minute, I would totally understand her anger and resentment. She is a deeply flawed character, and I felt that this made her easier to connect to. Eleanor’s relationships with everyone, except her father, are terrible. She has trouble connecting with others, and I really enjoyed her character arc as she begins to explore who her real father and his family are, and what kind of relationship she could have with them.

The plot…holy cow the plot! Sister Dear starts out as an emotional read as Eleanor learns her father is not her father and then he dies within 24 hours. It was sad to read about her during this time, but then the story goes crazy as Eleanor tries to meet her biological father, and then her half-sister. I really don’t want to give too much information here because of *spoilers*. So, I will say that this plot twisted and turned in ways I didn’t see coming. I had one instance LATE in the story where something that happened made me guess at what was going on, but I would not say that I knew the ending before it happened at all. So, it was a fun book filled with lots of surprises!

Eleanor has a body image problem from a mother that was mentally abusive and constantly negative about Eleanor’s body. This plays a HUGE role in her character throughout the story. We see her struggle with eating and weight, and Hannah Mary McKinnon did an absolutely wonderful job of relaying Eleanor’s emotions about this disorder. This could be a trigger for someone, but I am so appreciative that this was added to Eleanor’s character and used so prominently in the story.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! Sister Dear created an amazing experience for me from start to finish. I could not put this book down, and every time something new would be revealed, I was shocked all over again. I highly recommend reading this!

Content Warnings:

Pregnancy and loss, domestic abuse, stalking, eating disorder. There are also references to a mother that does not treat her child well. There isn’t abuse, but there is mental abuse that may be a trigger for some.

To Read or Not To Read:

I would recommend Sister Dear for readers that enjoy a domestic-feeling thriller with lots of twists.

Where to Find This Book:

Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon is available at these sites.

Bookshop.org | Amazon Kindle | Amazon | Goodreads

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 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.

Just the Facts:

Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon
Genre: Thriller
Page Count: 384 pages
Publisher: MIRA
Pub Date: May 26, 2020

I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

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