When We Were Sisters

By: Emilie Richards

Narrated by: Karen White, Elijah Alexander, Rachel Fulginiti

Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

From USA Today best-selling author Emilie Richards comes an emotional story about love, loyalty, and the deep bonds of sisterhood.

While love and loyalty made them sisters, secrets could still destroy them.

As children in foster care, Cecilia and Robin vowed they would be the sisters they had never had. Cecelia, now a superstar singer-songwriter, is living life on the edge. Robin set aside her career as a successful photojournalist to create the loving family she always yearned for. But gazing through a wide-angle lens at both past and future, she sees that her marriage is disintegrating. Her attorney husband is rarely home. She and the children need Kris' love and attention, but does Kris need them?

For Cecilia, a lifetime of lies has finally caught up with her, and she wants a chance to tell the real story of their childhood and free herself from the nightmares that still haunt her. When she asks Robin to be the still photographer for a documentary on foster care, Robin agrees, even though Kris will be forced to take charge for the months she's away. She gambles that he'll prove to them both that their children - and their marriage - are a priority in his life.

As the documentary unfolds, memories will be tested and the meaning of family redefined, but the love two young girls forged into bonds of sisterhood will help them move forward as the women they were always meant to be.

©2016 Emilie Richards (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Touching story with genuine characters

While I wasn’t a foster kid, I also grew up in an abusive home and could relate to the struggles to trust and how one person can make all the difference. A cathartic and well done story.

Excellent Book and Great Narration

Book keeps the right amount of emotion and suspense. Multiple narrators help you move with the story presented by each of the main characters.

Good, solid book

I’m glad that I finished this book to the end. I was a little out by the narrator for Robin. She sounded robotic and it was a little annoying. However, not so much that it took away from the story. And, about halfway through, her cadence picked up and she sounded normal.
Part of the ending I had figured out, but the not whole thing. It was a satisfying ending.
Also, I really liked the character development. The author did a good job with this. I would read more books by her and I would listen to more by the narrators. I would be cautious about the Robin reader, but, again - she got better halfway through.

Excellent Performance

I had a very difficult time engaging with the main characters. I found them one dimensional- basically selfish. I was very surprised, therefore, by my tears at the end.

Just okay

The woman who narrated "Robin's" character was breathy and had a voice that seemed constantly annoyed. Really irritating. About 3 times I was ready to give up - but got through it.

Truly enjoyed this book

This was a wonderfully entertaining book that was thought provoking as well. I would recommend this book!

Good

It was a little long for me and a little slow until the end which was good. A little predictable. That said, it was a good story that shines the light on the foster care system and it's long term effects on a person's life. I didn't love this book but I liked it enough. I'm glad I was able to listen to it.

An incredible journey!

Emilie Richards writes books about women and relationships. Good books about women and relationships. Not only man/woman relationships, but relationships between women, whether sisters, mother/daughter or friends.
When We Were Sister is a book about two women who were foster children together and who have formed an inseparable bond. They are now grown and have taken very different paths. Robin gave up her career as a photojournalist and is now married with two children. Her husband is a successful lawyer who is so busy that his family rarely sees him. Cecelia is a superstar singer-songwriter, but I'm happy to say the glam part of her career played a minor part in the book.
When Robin is injured in a car accident, things in her life start to change. Cecelia comes to be by her side, but her hospitalization appears to be an inconvenience to her husband. Cecelia asks Robin to work with her on a video about foster children. In doing the video, both women will revisit the traumatic events that took place in their lives. The opportunity to take photos for a meaningful project and be with her "sister" is something Robin decides she must take advantage of. She insists that her husband step up and take care of the home front while she is gone. It adds more stress to an already stress filled marriage.
As the two women spend more time together, they explore their feelings about their past. When their individual secrets start tumbling out, they discover that events that shaped their past and present just might not be what they thought. The question is, can they resolve their past to make a better future for themselves and the ones that love them?
I read this book six months ago, but as awesome as I found it then, the audio version offers so much more. I loved the different voices for the three main characters. The narration added a lot. If you only listen to one book this year, this should be it!

Hit home for me

Brought back a lot of memories being in the foster care system and dealing with foster parents, their family members, case workers who don't and won't listen or believe anything you say. Good listen though.

good book. terribly voiced.

good book. terribly voiced. all 3 narrators are recorded at different volumes and they read at different speeds. very annoying.