Secret Sisters Club is the first book in a darling series about friendship, family, and the importance of understanding one another.

Ginnie West and her best friend Tillie Taylor are 12 years old. They want to spend every second together and, one day, come up with a scheme to make this possible. They want to get Tillie’s divorced mom and Ginnie’s widowed father to get married. Unfortunately for both girls, playing matchmaker is harder than they assumed, and people are more complicated than they thought.

It is a story of fun pre-teen hijinks reminiscent of The Parent Trap, but with a twist. Each girl is facing her own family struggle. Ginnie worries that by setting up her father with someone else, she is betraying her mother. Meanwhile, Tillie and her mom are still dealing with financial instability and the ramifications of her father’s abusive tendencies.

The way the author handles these serious issues is perfect for introducing them to children. Her story creates an opening for a dialog with children, portraying the characters’ reactions to struggles in a positive light and giving examples on how to face tough times with grace.

This is the first book in a series, and it sets up the series well by creating fun, loveable characters that you’ll want to follow throughout their adventures. Anyone 8-years-old and up would enjoy this book, especially if they love farm animals and horses.