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    Secrets She Left Behind
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    Secrets She Left Behind
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    Secrets She Left Behind
    Ebook514 pages8 hours

    Secrets She Left Behind

    By Diane Chamberlain

    4/5

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    About this ebook



    One afternoon, single mother Sara Weston says that she's going to the storeand never returns. In her absence, she leaves her teenage son alone with his damaged past and a legacy of secrets.

    Keith Weston nearly lost his life in an act of arson. He survivedbut with devastating physical and emotional scars. Without his mother, he has no one to help him heal, no money, nothing to live for but the medications that numb his pain. Isolated and angry, his hatred has one tight focus: his half sister, Maggie Lockwood.

    Nineteen-year-old Maggie Lockwood spent a year in prison for the acts that led up to the fire. Now she's back home. But her release cannot free her from the burden of guilt she carries. She grew up with Keith Weston, played with him as a child and recently learned they share the same father.

    Now the person Keith despises most is the closest thing he has to familyuntil Sara returns. If Sara returns .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin MIRA
    Release dateJun 1, 2013
    ISBN9781460313190
    Author

    Diane Chamberlain

    Diane Chamberlain is the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of numerous novels published in more than twenty languages. Some of her most popular books include Necessary Lies, The Silent Sister, The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, and The Keeper of the Light Trilogy. Diane likes to write complex stories about relationships between men and women, parents and children, brothers and sisters, and friends. Although the thematic focus of her books often revolves around family, love, compassion and forgiveness, her stories usually feature a combination of drama, mystery, secrets and intrigue. Diane's background in psychology has given her a keen interest in understanding the way people tick, as well as the background necessary to create her realistic characters. Diane was born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey and spent her summers at the Jersey Shore. She also lived for many years in San Diego and northern Virginia before making North Carolina her home. Diane received her bachelor's and master's degrees in clinical social work from San Diego State University. Prior to her writing career, Diane worked in hospitals in San Diego and Washington, D.C. before opening a private psychotherapy practice in Alexandria Virginia specializing in adolescents. All the while Diane was writing on the side. Her first book, Private Relations was published in 1989 and it earned the RITA award for Best Single Title Contemporary Novel. Diane lives with her partner, photographer John Pagliuca, and her sheltie, Cole. She has three stepdaughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.

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    Reviews for Secrets She Left Behind

    4/5

    122 ratings15 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed this book; Chamberlain is an excellent storyteller. That said, there were a lot of points during the novel when I found myself feeling a little lost, and it wasn't until I was finished with the book that I realized the first half of the story was told in Before the Storm. As I hadn't read the first book, I definitely felt at a disadvantage during some of the action.This book is an unflinching look at the consequences from our actions however big or small. It is also a story of forgiveness and redemption as almost every character has something to atone for, something to be forgiven. Keith is catapulted into adulthood by the fire which almost claimed his life and by the sudden disappearance of his mother Sara. His half-sister Maggie (who started the fire that almost killed him) is wrestling with a community unwilling to forget and her own unwillingness to forgive.The structure of the story that bounces between diary entries that explain the complicated history these two families share and their present-day attempts to navigate through that history to find truthful answers. I did think the ending was a little contrived, and that ending, combined with the need to read Before the Storm first, dropped this from 5 stars to 4. All in all, a great read, especially I imagine if read as intended as a sequel.
    • 3/5
      A sequel to Before the storm that tells what happens when Maggie Lockwood is released from prison after having set {but not lit) the fire which killed several children and one adult . Keith's mother disappears on the day Maggies is released and her son Keith, badly injured in the fire, is not given the letter his mother left for him. A bit of an insight into what it was like for Maggie coming out of prison, and for Keith havinig to cope with his horrific injuries and the loss of his mother. The story is told from Sarah's point of view, and the point of view of other characters. Not a bad read, but not great.
    • 3/5
      I was looking forward to reading the sequel to "Before the Storm", and although it was enjoyable, I don't think it was as good as the first book. This story was more plot driven. I can't say that I loved the characters this time around. But, I still could hardly put the book down. I HAD to find out how it ended,. I read so fast, even skimming some parts just to get to the end. This is actually why I did not give it a higher rating. The book was too long. Most of the core of the story is revealed in the first book, so in this book there was alot of rehashing and retelling from different points of view. The actual new twists were a bit obvious and took too long to be resolved. Where is Sara? Who is Jen? What will happen with Maggie? That being said, I think that the story is a good conclusion to what Ms. Chamberlain began in "Before the Storm". I would recommend reading this if you have already read the first one.
    • 4/5
      This is a wonderful sequel to "Before the Storm", which picks up that story a year later. Ms. Chamberlain is an excellent writer who can both tell a good story and create deep, realistic characters.I loved this book and couldn't wait to find out what happens to the Lockwood family. I am not sure, however, that this book would stand alone well. I think readers really need to know the "Before the Storm" story to fully appreciate this sequel.
    • 4/5
      I had read this before but for some reason didnt add it to my shelf. I reread it after reading Before the Storm which was the first part to this book. Before the Storm deals with a fire in a church that injures children and kills 2 children and an adult. It was arson and the plot deals with figuring out who did it and how many within the community are affected. This book also continues the story while giving a deeper understaning of the main characters past and what lead them up to where they are today. I did enjoy the book more the 2nd time since I had the background story from the first book.
    • 4/5
      This author is such an excellent writer. Reading her books is such a great experience for those who love the twists and turns of a mystery. Her books deal with the challenges that face the characters in their everyday lives and the consequences that each must face when certain choices are made. This particular story deals with the intricate relationships within a particular family. Each of the characters must deal with certain revelations when they surface. By the end of the story the turmoil of the prominent characters seems to be resolved. I highly recommend this book.
    • 3/5
      It was a weird coincidence that I picked this book just after I had read Before The Storm. I had a lot of this author's books on my kindle but picked this , then to discover it was the sequel to the book I had just finished.
      As always with this authors books they are so silly really, so unrealistic. Both women have sex once and both got pregnant that one time, is just one example.
      Although I know this I keep on reading her ooks because they are an easy escape. quick to get into books.
    • 5/5
      (Storm #2 series) This was an excellent follow up to the Before the Storm. Diane is a brilliant writer, as she gives you just enough general overview in her first book and then explains in more detail in her second books, to complete the story. I was dying to hear more about the letter Sara left during the entire book, as Diane has a way to keep the twists and turns going throughout the book with the suspense building throughout. I also like the way she allows each character to speak, unfolding their true, raw feelings and character.

      There were so many characters you grow to love during the book. (this series is definitely movie worthy as in your mind you picture the main characters and the setting)! As usual, Chamberlain grabs you from page one until the end. I would love to see a third book (as follow up with Maggie, Andy, and Keith).

      Sara was my favorite character –a woman who gives so much of herself and to her son and deeply in love with Jamie who no longer lives and the life she could not attain. Maggie who learns how to forgive herself and grow in love and maturity. Andy (loved author’s dialogue with this character – which was very realistic and always put a smile on your face with his funny thoughts. Keith, a wonderful character who suffered so much and met so many challenges – learning to love his family and finally depend on them. Marcus – (you have to love)another one who grew so much since book one, taking care of his family and his love for Andy, Sara, and Maggie, and the special bond with Keith, his brother’s son-taking him under his wing. Also the added character of Jen was excellent and the mystery she created. A book of love, joy, forgiveness, pain, and acceptance! Another winner!!!

      I have read most of Diane’s new books and going back to her older books which I missed. As with all my favorite authors – start with new ones and then you want to read everything the writer has written – you will not be disappointed! Be sure and read the Before the Storm first as it will make it more enjoyable to know the history of the characters.
    • 4/5
      Sequel to Before the Storm - and definitely read the first book before this one. Although it will stand alone, you'll miss a lot without the backstory. This book is told in journal letters by Sara, who has gone missing. The other chapters are mostly narrated by her teen son, Keith, who was burned in the fire that Maggie set, Andy - Maggie's teen disabled brother and Maggie herself, who is just released from prison for her role in the fire that killed three people and severly injured Keith. Interesting injecting "Jen" in the story, who befriends both Keith and Maggie, and has her own agenda. And it holds together the background of how Keith copes with his life changing injuries, and how Maggie reintegrates into society. How do you live with yourself, even if it was an accident, when you've destroyed so many lives with your actions?
    • 5/5
      This is the sequel to Chamberlain's book [Before the Storm]. I loved that book and was very excited to hear about this one. I was not disappointed. This book picks up when Maggie is released from prison. Keith's mother Sara disappears on the day of Maggie's release. This book gives a lot of insight to Sara's feelings through the years in regards to the Lockwoods and her feelings about Jamie and the fire. There is a good mystery element to it in regard to Sara's sudden disappearance. What happened to her? What will happen to Keith? Just like the first book, the characters are well developed and you feel empathy for all of them. I couldn't put it down!
    • 4/5
      In this sequel to Before The Storm, 19-year-old Maggie gets out of prison after serving a year-long sentence. She returns home but many of the people in the town are angry that she got such a light sentence after so many people died or were injured by the fire she was responsible for. Maggie is supposed to perform 300 hours of community service but no one wants her around. Then there's Keith -- her half brother who is still suffering from burns and injuries -- whose mother disappears. Plus a mysterious stranger . . . Although I didn't like this book quite as much as the first, it was a satisfying follow-up to the first book and with several new surprises.
    • 3/5
      I started reading this book as a stand alone, but found that it actually is the sequel to Before the Storm. This one begins as Maggie Lockwood leaves prison after finishing her one-year sentence for an act of arson that killed several people and severely damaged Keith Weston. The story is told in chapters in the voices of the many characters involved. While this device can be effective in many novels, in this story I found I actually needed to look at the name and time frame at the start of each chapter. Maggie’s difficulties in trying to regain her life after prison gained my sympathies, as did Keith’s dealing with the pain of his injuries. However, I had little for the mother’s, Laurel and Sara, in way they chose to live their lives. This book was enough, I don’t feel the need to go back and read Before the Storm.
    • 3/5
      I didn’t find out that this book was a sequel to “Before the Storm” until I finished it and was flipping through the ads at the back. I open with that, because had I known that, and/or had I read the first book, my feelings about “Secrets She Left Behind” might be different.Maybe then I might have understood more about why the characters took the actions they did, or if not, maybe I would have been more emotionally invested in them so that it didn’t matter as much. This book is very soap opera like, but instead of having each plot point drawn out FAR too long (as in the soap operas I used to watch) major things like arson, rampant infidelity, fetal alcohol syndrome, etc just get skimmed over. It’s like the author drops them into the plot to shake it up but then never lets us know why the characters do these things. (Again, had I read the first book, things may have been explained there, but at some point, this book needs to be strong enough to stand on its own.)Maggie, one of the main characters, is released from prison in the beginning of the book. She served 12 months for arson, after setting (although not lighting) a fire in which several people died. The deepest explanation I have for why she did this is that her married boyfriend was a firefighter and she wanted him to succeed. The reader is not shown through any thoughts or flashbacks what type of relationship this was that led her to these actions. We are just told over and over that now she is sorry and now she is a good person. With a pretty healthy ego, I might add. When confronted by an angry group of adults during her community service, she thinks: “I brought out the mean side in them. How many of them knew me personally? Some did, I was sure of it. Some were probably the parents of my former friends – my friends before I flipped out. They’d probably wanted their kids to hang out with me back then, hoping a little of me would rub off on their own children. Now they thought I was crazy or dangerous. Maybe both.” Keep in mind that she served one year for a fire that killed and maimed children and adults.One of the most frustrating aspects of this book was the total lack of foreshadowing. Instead of carefully crafting a subtle arc of clues for a major reveal, at one point of the characters drops a bombshell that gives away the game for the reader, but then we are supposed to believe that Maggie doesn’t notice. It’s a spoken line that in the real world would have caused her to take a step back and she certainly would have started asking some serious questions, but the author expects us to believe that she just let the bombshell go by, and maybe, I don’t know, saw something shiny. That’s just lazy writing, and even worse, lazy editing.I think there might have been one real story here. One about what led a young girl to commit arson and/or how she deals with her life after prison, or maybe the story of a boy disfigured by that arson and his attempts to rebuild his life, or one about the mothers of either the girl or boy and how they deal with their children in those situations. But ALL of these stories are here, plus about five others. It’s too much, and as a result, there’s too little. Too little character development, too little craftsmanship, too few insights. Had the author kept a focus – maybe there would have been less soap opera and more moments like this:“Anyone could have been holding her at that moment, and she would have seemed just a peaceful. But it wasn’t just anyone. It was me. And I felt strangely lucky to be able to hold her in my arms that way. She’d felt light that last time I’d held her here in her room. Now she seemed to become lighter by the second, and it took me a moment to understand the reason: circled by my arms, she was already turning to dust.”In this one moment, the author stops moving the characters around, and instead, keeps them still. And by doing so, finally moves the reader.
    • 4/5
      This book was ok to read but didn’t leave me very satisfied. There were too many characters to let you really get into the book and keep everything in order.
    • 3/5
      Meh. It started off pulling me in...until I realized it was a sequel, and that the plot seems a little watered down...but it provided enough interest that I finished the book