Heartbroken by Lisa Unger

It is difficult to categorize Heartbroken. In some ways, it is a thriller. But in many more ways, it is a family drama. What I mean is that you care more about the characters themselves than what is happening to the characters. The novel centers around Birdie Burke, family matriarch and owner of the family estate on Heart Island. Birdie is fiercely proud of her island, even though most of the family could care less. There's Kate, the daughter who basically just disappoints her. Kate's brother will not even visit. And her husband, well, he uses any excuse he can to go back to the city. But Birdie has her water and her walks, and the beauty of it all. But Birdie has something else...secrets. And maybe ghosts? Now bring Emily into the story, the poor victim of a bad boyfriend, and this novel quickly escalates into quite the page turner. As you can imagine, these two story lines intersect and secrets are revealed. All in all, a very satisfying read.

Karen

Read-alike author: Erica Spindler