Things I Never Told You 

(Thatcher Sisters) 

Paperback, ebook, hardcover 

May 8, 2018

by Beth K. Vogt

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 
• ISBN-13: 978-1496427243

It’s been ten years since Payton Thatcher’s twin sister died in an accident, leaving the entire family to cope in whatever ways they could. No longer half of a pair, Payton reinvents herself as a partner in a successful party-planning business and is doing just fine―as long as she manages to hold her memories and her family at arm’s length.

But with her middle sister Jillian’s engagement, Payton’s party-planning skills are called into action. Which means working alongside her opinionated oldest sister, Johanna, who always seems ready for a fight. They can only hope that a wedding might be just the occasion to heal the resentment and jealousy that divides them . . . until a frightening diagnosis threatens Jillian’s plans and her future. As old wounds are reopened and the family faces the possibility of another tragedy, the Thatchers must decide if they will pull together or be driven further apart.

My thoughts:  THINGS I NEVER TOLD YOU by Beth Vogt is women's fiction. I have mixed emotions about this book and am not really sure how I feel about it. First of it, it is well-written. Ms. Vogt is a talented author and I have loved her romances. I figured I would love this book, too, even though women's fiction is not my genre of choice. So that might have something to do with my opinion. 

Secondly, it deals with some really tough issues. Payton's sister was killed in an underage drunk driving accident ten years ago and the family is still struggling to adjust to the loss of a sixteen year old - but they are doing it on their own, and had no use for any god.  I liked Zach and his willingness to apologize, and that he was a Christian and I liked the faith message there.  It was hard reading but good.

Thirdly, the other tough issue is breast cancer. One of the sisters, Jillian, is diagnosed with breast cancer and all the raw emotions, feelings, internal drama is poured out on the pages of the book.  I am a breast cancer survivor and what she describes is very real, but even though it's been ten years since I was diagnosed, I was not prepared to go through the drama again, and I didn't want to, not even on the written pages of a book!  It was tactfully handled, but the faith message here was weak 

The book is part first person (Payton) and part third person (Jillian) and I wish the author would've picked one or the other and not used both, but after I got used to the sudden jarring it didn't bother me so much any more. 

It does end with an unfinished feel, but I suppose since it is women's fiction/family drama it will continue in the next book.  I don't think I will request the next book for review though as I didn't enjoy it as much as I would've a romance or a cozy mystery, or a romantic suspense. 

If you like women's fiction/family drama you might love Beth Vogt's THINGS I NEVER TOLD YOU.  

i was given a copy free, All opinions are my own.