Dorie - Cats&Books :) 's Reviews > The Good Sister

***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY, DON'T MISS THIS ONE***

This is the second book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and it’s phenomenal. It’s so much more than I thought it was going to be, part family drama, part mystery, part exploration of how people on the low spectrum of Asperger’s syndrome function in our society.

Rose Castle and her sister Fern are twins, but they could not be more different. They even look very different. Fern is tall and willowy, Rose is short and “round” as her mother always called her.

These two have had a difficult childhood, raised by their mother who has her own mental issues, they once spent an entire year living in libraries and their car. This was fine with Fern as she loved books. Very early on she learned that she could get lost in the story and not think about her day to day life.

This novel is told from two points of view, one is told in Fern’s voice as she tells us about her childhood and how Rose has always been there for her. Fern works as a librarian and loves her job, she thrives on routine and organization. One day a man enters the library whom she assumes is homeless because of his overall appearance. They start having some great conversations, she learns that he lives in a van by his own choice. He doesn’t need to have a lot of “things“. They go on a few dates and realize that they really have a lot in common. His name is Rocco but Fern calls him Wally because of the silly hat he wears which reminds her of the “Where’s Wally” character. Fern finds herself experiencing love for the first time.

Meanwhile we learn from Rose’s diary that she is more manipulative than it seems at first. She looks out for Fern but also keeps her from maturing by constantly telling her that she is forgetful and unable to be counted on. A very sad event happened when they were children and Fern has always felt responsible, Rose constantly holds this over her. You will learn a lot more about Rose during the novel. She has her own ideas about how she wants the future to play out.

I really don’t want to ruin this great story for anyone. It’s a wonderful novel with lots of surprises and twists. The characters are well developed and I was so invested in the story I stayed up until 1:30 am to finish it!!

I can recommend this book to anyone who enjoys drama, mystery and family relationships with amazing characters.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This novel is set to publish April 13, 2021.