Book Review & Giveaway: Those Secrets We Keep

Those Secrets We Keep

By: Emily Liebert

Published By: NAL

Publication Date: June 2, 2015

Page Count: 336

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher

Audience: Adult - Womens' Fiction

Sloane, Hillary, and Georgina all have secrets that they are keeping from those they love most. The trio ends up at a lake house owned by Sloane's aunt to spend several weeks relaxing and forgetting their troubles. As the women spend time together, their secrets rise to the surface and their friendships are altered forever.

Sloane is the instigator behind the impromptu vacation. She has been reeling since the death of her sister, Amy, and can't seem to find a safe harbor. Everything in Sloane's life seems off kilter. She finds that she isn't satisfied with her marriage, but can't articulate the exact problem. She hopes the time away from her husband, Eddie, will help clear her mind. While at Lake George, she runs into an old flame from college and the sparks reignite. Sloane is faced with a moral dilemma: Should she do something about her feelings for her former boyfriend or remain loyal to her husband?

Hillary is also keeping secrets from her husband. Greg craves a house full of children and after three years of trying he is starting to lose hope. Greg throws himself into researching fertility options and supporting his wife. Meanwhile, Hillary's dark secret will break Greg's heart.

Lastly, Georgina is quite a piece of work. She has a huge secret that sent her fleeing from London as fast as her designer shoes would carry her. She hasn't spoken to Sloane, her best friend from college, since before Amy's death, but she knows that spending time on Lake George will fix everything. Georgina's selfish nature dominates her time on the lake. I never could find myself on her side; she garnered no sympathy from me. She is certainly not the sort I would want as my best friend.

As the title suggests, all three of the characters' lives are dominated by the secrets they are keeping hidden. Secrets are rarely positive so there is a lot of moral ambiguity in this one. I'm not a huge fan of dishonesty so it was difficult for me to feel empathy for any of the women at first. Eventually, I was won over by Hillary and Sloane. I didn't condone their actions, but I was able to understand them by the end of the novel. Relationships - friendships and romances - need to be based on trust and honesty. I think all three women have a lot of work to do in both aspects of their lives.

Those Secrets We Keep is a compelling read that will add a little drama to your summer reading list. The characters are complex and flawed. I don't always gravitate to this sort of read, but I am glad I gave this one a go. Life is not always happy so I appreciate fiction that reflects that from time to time.  Relationships are messy and don't always run a smooth course.

One Last Gripe: I was more drawn to Hillary's story than the others. 

My Favorite Thing About This Book: I liked how the secrets impacted the relationships of each of the women and seeing how they resolved themselves when the secrets finally came out.

First Sentence: Sloane gripped the steering wheel with clenched fists as her mind darted furiously from one direction to the next.

Favorite Character: Hillary

Least Favorite Character: Georgina

Summary:

Three women. Three lives. Three secrets.

On the surface, Sloane has the perfect life—an adoring husband, a precocious daughter, and enough financial security to be a stay-at-home mom. Still, she can’t help but feel as though something—or someone—is missing....

Hillary has a successful career and a solid marriage. The only problem is her inability to conceive. And there’s a very specific reason why....

As the wild-child daughter of old family money, Georgina has never had to accept responsibility for anything. So when she realizes an unexpected life change could tie her down forever, she does exactly what she’s always done: escape.

When these three women unite for a three-week-long summer vacation in beautiful Lake George, New York, even with the idyllic location as their backdrop, the tensions begin to mount. And they quickly discover that no secret can be kept forever....

We have one copy of The Secrets We Keep to give away to our readers. This giveaway is open to residents of the US. You must be 18+ years of age to win. 

The giveaway runs from July 15-22. Winner will be notified via email on July 23.

a Rafflecopter giveaway