My Stepmother's Secret: An incredibly powerful and heartbreaking story about a family dilemma

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I could feel every single emotion Gabbie was going through and it was like I knew her personally. All of the scenes were perfectly described and It was easy to feel as if you were right there in the middle of all of it. I cried and cried some more. I highly recommend reading this story with a box Reading this book gave me a great deal more sympathy for the plight of the stepmother, which is probably overdue because I am married to a woman who struggled for years to fill that role. If I had solved the problems of being in a blended family (a ridiculous misnomer, as Martin says), I would conclude with some sage advice. But I haven’t.

Robinson's latest novel, My Stepmother's Secret, is an exceptional piece of writing that had me hooked from the start. I found myself completely invested in Gabbie and her family's story, unable to predict where the plot would take them. Robinson masterfully unpeels the story layer by layer, slowly revealing secrets and complexities that are true to real life. If you are looking for a well written,unforgettable, heartbreaking,emotional, beautiful story then you should definitely read this one. This situation can get much worse if the stepmother has a child of her own with the father. One interviewee recalls her “stomach-dropping disappointment when I told my partner’s children I was pregnant and they began to sob. I believed they were trying to sabotage what should have been a time of perfect bliss. From their perspective, I was ruining their lives.”Robinson's writing style is nothing short of captivating, as she teases out the story layer by layer, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. I found myself invested in Gabbie's dilemma, unsure of which way I wanted the story to go. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I couldn't put the book down. My Stepmother’s Secret focused a lot on the family dynamic and forgiveness. Oh there was tons of family drama, deep hidden secrets, very eye opening revelations that changed the perspective of what we thought was really real. This was a very deep and intense book if you think about it. The parent,” says Martin, “feels attached to, pulled by, nourished by and connected to the same child as the step-parent feels rejected by, ignored by, jealous of, competitive with and exhausted by.”

Little do I know that everything I thought I knew about the woman who destroyed my life when I was a child is about to come crashing down. Living together now, the secrets that have kept us apart for all these years are finally revealing themselves. Will our fragile bond break completely, or could it be the only thing that saves me and my daughters…? Emma Robinson continues to surprise me! She knows exactly how to engage readers’ emotions and pull them into a story. Yet the act of trying to connect with a child who isn’t their own means the stepmother is likely to be rejected, time and time again – for acceptance represents to the child not only a betrayal of their biological mother, but also the denial of the stepmother’s attempt to be a substitute for that mother.The book itself is written so well that it reads so smoothly from chapter to chapter with brilliant descriptions and settings perfect for the scene. It really dragged me deep into the story and I became completely invested until I came out the other end with tears streaming down my face. The title and synopsis fitted the storyline perfectly. Stars!!!!… I’m hooked… Excellent!… Reminds me of the writings of Jodi Picoult… I experienced every emotion that exists.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I start by saying that Emma Robinson is a very talented author and I cannot wait to dig into more of her books. She is definitely on par with several of my favourite authors including Jodi Picoult, Jojo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks which is why she is also one of my favourite authors!!! But it’s not that simple. The stepmother faces formidable challenges, not least because to admit to her difficulties is often taboo. Most women – according to research quoted by Martin – define themselves by the quality of their relationships. “Stepmothers,” writes Martin, “are more self-critical and blame themselves more than any other members of a remarried family.” They “tend to experience difficulty with a stepchild as ongoing, unremitting and overwhelming”. This novel consists of 41 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!