As Sick As Our Secrets (Sophie Brown, #2)

by Diane Ezzard

[zooloo1983]

Welcome back for part two of this tour and book two for me! Today we are looking at As Sick as our Secrets. You do not have to have read the first book in this series but I suggest you do as you get the background to Sophie and her life before this book.

*This review may contain spoilers from the first book but I will try to keep them to a minimu*

Where book one was act one, setting the scene, this is the act after the brief intermission, once you had your wine, got your ice cream and settled back in your seats and let all the action unfold. We pick up straight away with Sophie from the first book, with the death of her friend. One thing I have learned from the first book, things are not as straightforward as they seem. Sophie, bless her, has not learned ANYTHING from the first book and is still quite naive and way too trusting at times.

Times get tough for Sophie, and she quickly slips back into bad habits but she has such amazing support from everyone who helps her get back to where needs. Whilst grieving for the death of her friend, which I do not think she addresses properly, she is led into a shady underworld where the likes of her should stay far far FAR away, I found a couple of scenes upsetting for her, especially when Randy’s thugs turned up on the door. However, sometimes her actions, decision-making and dialogue were a bit questionable, all emphasising how naive she is. I hope she learns from the events in this book in the next one!

Most of the book is told from Sophie’s point of view, bar a few chapters where we meet Randy, the Kingpin of the underground in Manchester. The Don and the root of most of the problems in the book. Karma certainly crept up loud and clear but with the most heartbreaking of outcomes. It was nice to have a different voice in the book, even if it was one that was dark and murky, looking into the underworld.

So much happened in this book and it kept me on my toes, I loved the change of pace. It slowed down when we were with Sophie, on the day to day and watching her spiral out of control with her alcoholism, this hit home for me again as I watched it with my dad. But when the action happened, boy did it happen. Plus, one of the storylines from the first book was wrapped up, and again it was Karma and reminded me of the Butterfly effect with the outcome. How everyone is linked by three or four steps!

My suspicions were proven right in some of the mysteries we had in this book, but the outcome of events I did not expect. There are so many new characters in this book, but it was awesome as no role was wasted and everyone had their part in the story.

The road to recovery is a long one for anyone with an addiction, and Ms Ezzard does not sugarcoat it at all. She shows the harsh reality but she shows the light with the support of all the people around Sophie. I would love to be friends with Sophie take her under my wing.


I can not wait to see what happens with Sophie in the third book, I am invested in her thanks to the writing of Mz Ezzard. The realism in the book, the emotions she makes you feel sucks you in. I am hoping for a happy ending, and a road less travelled for Sophie, she needs a break, a breath and sunshine! Maybe???