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Melissa Wiesner

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Her Family Secret: An absolutely unputdownable emotional women’s fiction novel Kindle Edition

by Melissa Wiesner (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 1,441 ratings

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"What if the father you never knew, left behind a heartbreaking secret?

June Westwood is devastated by the news the father she never met has died. Now the truth about why Jasper abandoned her as a child will be buried forever. Escaping to the secluded beach house she’s inherited, June hopes to spend time bonding with her two little daughters, away from her hectic job and failing marriage.

On the wild shores of the Pacific Northwest, her father’s hideaway leaves June breathless. But it’s his oil paintings decorating every wall that surprise her most. How could someone paint other people so beautifully, but reject those closest to him? And why is every drawer in her father’s workshop locked? June hopes her new neighbor—her father’s apprentice Caleb—will provide the answers. But Caleb won’t talk about the past.

Then, hidden in her father’s workshop, June discovers a box of newspaper clippings that reveal the shocking reason why her father left years ago—and uncovers Caleb’s own devastating secret…

When her old life comes calling, June has an impossible decision to make. Unsure what’s best for her girls, and if she can trust Caleb, will digging deeper into her father’s dark past heal or destroy her precious family?

An absolutely heartbreaking and emotional page-turner about the incredible strength of family bonds, how we can hurt those closest to us, and the healing power of love. Fans of Diane Chamberlain, Kerry Lonsdale and Kerry Fisher will devour this powerful read from award-winning author Melissa Wiesner.

Read what everyone’s saying about Her Family Secret:

“A rollercoaster of emotions… so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time… I was absolutely captivated and absorbed throughout… a beautiful page-turner… I was addicted to this gorgeous novel… will take your breath away.” bookworm86 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Stunning. Wow… This was one I struggled to put down until it was finished! Excellent read!” @read.athon2021 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I read this book in 24 hours… I loved the authors writing style… just devoured this book… outstanding.” @bookdreamer_51800

“I just loved this book!… just fantastic… This book has every emotion possible! Loved it.” @oh.happy.reading ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Loved… one of my favorite books I've read so far this year. I would give it fifty gold stars if I could.” Meanderings and Muses ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A beautiful emotional story… sisterly bonding, romance and second chances set against the beautiful backdrop of America’s Pacific coast… Highly recommended.” Jo Lambert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ann Marie Gideon, an Earphones Award-winning narrator, is a professional actress based in Atlanta. She received a BFA in theater performance from the University of Memphis and trained at the Accademia dell'Arte in Arezzo, Italy. Throughout her college career, she gained professional experience by performing at Playhouse on the Square. Soon after, she toured across the country with the National Players and then landed in Atlanta, Georgia, with Georgia Shakespeare. She is now expanding her career into voice-over work, film, and television.

Melissa Wiesner is a night-owl who began writing novels about five years ago when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. She is the author of Her Family Secret and The Girl in the Picture. Her awards include the 2019 RWA Golden Heart(R) in the Mainstream Fiction Category. Melissa holds two master's degrees in public health and community agency counseling. Her day job is in social work where she often encounters people knocked down by hard times but who pick themselves up and keep going, just like the characters of her novels. Melissa lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with her charming husband and two adorable children.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08Z2XT3XZ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bookouture (May 17, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 17, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1848 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 292 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #33,761 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #290 in Women's Literary Fiction
- #320 in Women's Divorce Fiction
- #410 in Sisters Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.4 1,441 ratings

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Melissa Wiesner

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Melissa Wiesner’s mother didn’t allow her to watch much TV as a child and instead, made her play with paint, colorful pipe cleaners, random bits of fabric, and all manner of other crafty things. This set Melissa up for a lifetime of creative pursuits, and it was only a matter of time before things took a bookish turn.

A night-owl, Melissa began writing novels when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. She is the award-winning author of both emotional women’s fiction and romantic comedies. Melissa’s book, His Secret Daughter was an Amazon bestseller, The Second Chance Year was a Book of the Month add-on pick, and It All Comes Back to You will soon be translated into almost a dozen languages.

Along with her charming husband and two adorable children, Melissa splits her time between the big city of Pittsburgh, PA and rural West Virginia.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

1,441 global ratings

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Andrea

seeing clearly

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2024

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Another great read by the talented Melissa Weisner. This book felt different from her prior books, and I’m still mulling over it all.

The story felt like a journey that moved effortlessly through time, drifting into the past and reemerging into the present.

I love how much hope the main characters had. It was like Melissa had taken their current lives and replaced it with a blank canvas for them to create their new one on.

The book is about June, a wife, mother, sister, accountant, and painter who was forced to grow up too fast after her father abandoned her and her sisters when they were young. Junes mother isn’t responsible and June ends up stepping into the caregiver role in her home. She soothes everyone else, cooks, cleans, and works hard to make sure all of their dreams come true. She literally sacrificed all of her dreams for everyone else’s.

She finds out her life isn’t quite what it seems after receiving a phone call from a lawyer disclosing her fathers identity and sharing his will. Shock consumes her and she abruptly stops her car in the middle of the highway. Unfortunately the car behind her slams into her and she is hospitalized. After recovering in the hospital she leaves everything she has created in pursuit of the unknown.She leaves her rotten husband behind and takes her girls with her vowing to return after the summer.

She arrives at her fathers estate and begins to unravel who her father really was. She has so few memories of him. On the new property she encourages her sisters to join her in her quest to uncover who their dad was and they agree to join her.

The family clicks and life feels lighter, June even finds herself attracted to her late father’s apprentice who knows more about her father than he’s willing to share.

June pushes him for information desperate to know what her father was like, hungry to know why she wasn’t good enough for him to stay. Caleb, the apprentice has secrets of his own but will the connection they feel for one another provide a safety net for all of those secrets to fall out onto?

I really enjoyed the book. It was fast paced and easy to read. I was interested from start to finish, though it didn’t tug deeply at my emotions like her other books have.

This book touches heavily on mental illness, bipolar disorder, suicide, and finding out who you are amidst who you believe you need to be in order to survive.

Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024

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very good predictable some not story line a little different pretty easy reading worth reading give it a try glad i.did

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024

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This book was hard for me to focus on. The story is great. It’s too many women’s true life story. Turn yourself inside out, give up your dreams, and smile through the performance of your life just to please a man. A man that doesn’t even notice what you’ve done FOR HIM. The story is well written, follows an accurate time line. It meets all the criteria of a good read. I liked that it didn’t over focus on a love story, but rather on the life around it. I don’t know why I couldn’t focus on it. Maybe I’ve read too many books recently.

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Willdog

Memorable characters, beautiful scenery, and intriguing secrets.

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2021

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Don’t miss out on this book, the characters and scenery vividly and memorably comes to life on the pages. Become immersed in Wishing Cove overlooking Everett Bay in Pacific Northwest, and with every turn of the page you will become more and more intrigued. Filled with intense emotions and complex choices that will deeply connect you to the characters. This book is a perfect book club read as there are so many interesting things to discuss!

One person found this helpful

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L. Phipps

It’s readable

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2021

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The story was just fair for me. It was all to predictable and I just did not connect as I did with her other novel. With all we know about bi polar today I’m sure the family would have been involved in her fathers life. The sisters stories needed more input. The characters laid Flat for me.

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BrB

Such a great read! All the feels!

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2021

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I absolutely loved this story! Wishing Cove is the perfect place for June Westwood to start over. One might think she needed rest from a recent car accident, when what she really needed was a new start. When she finds out her recently deceased, estranged father was a famous artist she decides it’s time to find out what she missed. Jasper Luc (father) willed her a fabulous house in Wishing Cove. She sets out to see for herself just what her father gave up his family for.

This book is filled with warmth and real life relationships. Melissa Wiesner manages to give us stock in all the characters, secondary as well as main, including June’s two children who play a nice role but aren’t overdone.

Caleb our super talented hero is an artist who struggles with depression and doesn’t believe that he’s worth the time it takes for a real relationship to root. But oh, he is. There’s more to him than a diagnosis, and the way he introduces June’s girls to oil crayons just made me want to go out and buy some for myself. It’s obvious that the author has a knowledge of art, color, paint, and all the smells and textures that come with that.

As for June’s husband…yes he’s alive. I’ll let you read about him for yourself.

There is a moment near the end when Caleb (our HERO) is standing in the rain. I don’t want to say much more, except that I could feel every emotion. It was so touching I got all misty eyed. Love it when that happens!

This is a story that will stick with me for quite some time.
Highly recommend!

Perfect for summer, camping, a weekend.

7 people found this helpful

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JLM

Art and other things

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2023

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Great read and very to the point. No dragging out a narrative of things that aren't necessary. I loved the writers appeal to the senses. The artistry you could feel. But the bipolar episodes were spot on and very enlightening what a good read.

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LAA

Wonderful positive novel! A true page turner!

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2021

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Such an interesting, keep you on the edge of your seat, escape. The close of each chapter kept me wanting more, the characters were interesting and compelling, and the setting was magnificently described. I felt like I was there, listening to Juniper’s every thought. I loved this book and all the characters! A perfect gift for any friend. A great read that transports you from the crazy of these days.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Siggy

Wonderful story

Reviewed in Canada on May 16, 2023

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I have just read this book - and the others by the author - and love them all. I love the characters in her books - they are so well developed, and it make you feel part of the story. Wonderful books to get lost in.

julieann

highly recommend Melissa wiesner

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2023

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This book and the others this author has written has the twists and turns you want in a book. You just can't put it down. The characters are so relatable, and you feel as if you are right there beside them and can feel their emotions . Not many authors can make you feel like that, but melissa does. I couldn't put it down, so I stayed up all night to read it. Highly recommend any of the authors' books.