K. Robicheau's The Secret Son takes a deep dive into family drama when Julia travels to her grandfather's funeral at a seaside hacienda in Mindanao, a Philippine island. Reconnecting with her large, loving, and meddlesome family, she discovers a secret half-brother. Dealing with her father's health issues and her mother's renewed movie celebrity status, Julia finds herself drawn into confrontation over the family's inheritance.
Volunteering at the local legal clinic draws Julia into issues about land rights, the future of the coral reef, and inheritance laws. As she straddles these two worlds, Julia deals with loss and discovery to find what matters to her.
The family history against a backdrop of Philippine history makes this novel a fascinating read.
Readers will laugh and cry as The Secret Son embraces both the comedy and sweetness of life in the provinces, and serious issues such as class divisions, gender, illegitimacy, and the transfer of wealth within a multi-generational, multi-national family.
