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Those Secrets We Keep by Emily Liebert
From the author of You Knew Me When and When We FallThree 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 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....
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First published June 2, 2015
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About the author
Emily Liebert
13 books985 followersEmily Liebert is the USA TODAY Bestselling Author of seven books.
PERFECTLY FAMOUS, her newest novel, was released on June 2, 2020. Prior to that, PRETTY REVENGE published on July 2, 2019. Both with Gallery/Simon& Schuster.
Her first narrative non-fiction book, FACEBOOK FAIRYTALES, is available across the globe.
In 2012, Emily wrote her debut novel, YOU KNEW ME WHEN, which published on September 3, 2013. Her second novel, WHEN WE FALL, published on September 2, 2014. THOSE SECRETS WE KEEP, her third novel, released on June 2, 2015, and her fourth novel, SOME WOMEN, came out on April 5, 2016, all with Penguin Random House.
Emily is featured often in the press, by outlets such as: Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Anderson Cooper, FOX News, Good Day New York, The Couch, Oprah Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, InStyle, OK!, Nylon, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s World, WWD, Woman’s Day, The New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, and The Huffington Post.
She has also served as a spokesperson for Microsoft, appearing on TV and radio stations nationwide.
PERFECTLY FAMOUS, her newest novel, was released on June 2, 2020. Prior to that, PRETTY REVENGE published on July 2, 2019. Both with Gallery/Simon& Schuster.
Her first narrative non-fiction book, FACEBOOK FAIRYTALES, is available across the globe.
In 2012, Emily wrote her debut novel, YOU KNEW ME WHEN, which published on September 3, 2013. Her second novel, WHEN WE FALL, published on September 2, 2014. THOSE SECRETS WE KEEP, her third novel, released on June 2, 2015, and her fourth novel, SOME WOMEN, came out on April 5, 2016, all with Penguin Random House.
Emily is featured often in the press, by outlets such as: Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Anderson Cooper, FOX News, Good Day New York, The Couch, Oprah Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, InStyle, OK!, Nylon, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s World, WWD, Woman’s Day, The New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, and The Huffington Post.
She has also served as a spokesperson for Microsoft, appearing on TV and radio stations nationwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
January 1, 2017
3.5 stars.... I was disappointed by this book. I really enjoyed Liebert's debut, this was ... I am struggling to find the words-- well the characters were not likable. Without spoiling I disliked all 3 main characters mainly because they are selfish and self absorbed and that is hard as a reader to surmount when one of them if not all, are the presumed protagonists.
If you are looking for a beach easy type of read you may like this. Sometimes I ponder if my feel of a book is based on timing. I had been reading some heavier books the past month. It's a cute concept plot and the writing is superb I just am a reader who needs to form a bond and I couldn't.
That being said I intend to read her other 2 novels as even the best authors make a misstep.
If you are looking for a beach easy type of read you may like this. Sometimes I ponder if my feel of a book is based on timing. I had been reading some heavier books the past month. It's a cute concept plot and the writing is superb I just am a reader who needs to form a bond and I couldn't.
That being said I intend to read her other 2 novels as even the best authors make a misstep.
June 30, 2015
3.5 Stars
Sloane, reeling from the death of her sister, vacations at her aunt's beach house in Lake George with her two best friends: practical Hillary and wild Georgina. All three women have been keeping secrets, which eventually come out.
I was surprised that the narrative didn't switch between the three women--the story is told from 95% Sloane's POV, and I had trouble liking Sloane. I was much more interested in Hillary and Georgina's stories.
Overall, this book makes for an easy and predictable beach read.
Sloane, reeling from the death of her sister, vacations at her aunt's beach house in Lake George with her two best friends: practical Hillary and wild Georgina. All three women have been keeping secrets, which eventually come out.
I was surprised that the narrative didn't switch between the three women--the story is told from 95% Sloane's POV, and I had trouble liking Sloane. I was much more interested in Hillary and Georgina's stories.
Overall, this book makes for an easy and predictable beach read.
June 20, 2015
This book was much different than I thought it would be. Three women away from their daily responsibilities and it seems all they can do is bitch and argue. A LOT. But, it does get better as the women admit the secrets they are holding back and what it is that's keeping them on edge. And boy, are they holding back some big secrets!
I thought it was a very enjoyable read after the arguments settled down and the girls got along better. Plus, the author describes Luke as looking like Josh Lucas in Sweet Home Alabama. So, every time he appeared, I got that face in my mind. What a bonus!
But the ending? Believe me when I say it was jaw dropping.
Thanks Penguin/NAL and Net Galley for providing me with this free E-galley in exchange for an honest review. It provided much entertainment.
I thought it was a very enjoyable read after the arguments settled down and the girls got along better. Plus, the author describes Luke as looking like Josh Lucas in Sweet Home Alabama. So, every time he appeared, I got that face in my mind. What a bonus!
But the ending? Believe me when I say it was jaw dropping.
Thanks Penguin/NAL and Net Galley for providing me with this free E-galley in exchange for an honest review. It provided much entertainment.
August 18, 2015
I received this book free from net galley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
When I received this book I was excited. I love books about women's friendships and the idea of three women having the chance to be together for three weeks bonding with the beautiful setting of a "cabin" by a lake sounded wonderful. I love the cover, a beautiful setting of three women sitting together on a dock by a lake.
Sloane is a stay a home mom who has been unsettled since the death of her sister Amy. She's questioning so much in her life so when her daughter Maddie is away at camp and her aunt offers her the "cabin that is not a cabin" for three weeks, she jumps at the chance taking her friend Hillary with her. On the way up to the lake, the train wreck that is Georgina phones her from England and bulldozes her way along too.
First of all I don't know anyone who can drop everything and go away tomorrow for three weeks. But more importantly, I didn't like these women very much. All through the book, I kept asking myself, "why are these people, primarily Georgina and Sloane, even friends, much less best friends?"
Friendships among women are complicated and fragile but being friends with someone a long time is not enough to sustain a friendship and no reason to keep it going. There is nothing wrong with letting someone go, they may have been friends forever and it's difficult to cut the cord, but these two seemed to have nothing between them but history. There was resentment, neglect, disdain, selfishness and a little nastiness and Georgina had no idea of what it meant to be a friend.
And then there's the secrets. Each woman had a secret and while I don't want to be all judgy because we all have had secrets at some time, it also played a part in my dislike for the women, not necessarily for the secrets but also how they played out. I was bothered by Sloane's treatment of Luke. A lot of us have "the one that got away" and while it's nostalgic to look back and wonder "what if", I think we look back at that time with rose coloured glasses and don't have a clear picture. Luke was a bit destroyed when Sloane left all those years ago. It's not so much Sloane's emotional affair that I didn't like as she gave no thought to the future or how it would affect Luke if she left again. That being said, sometimes you have to lose something before you realize how much it means to you. Would Sloane have realized that if she hadn't spent those three weeks at Lake George?
Hillary was the one of the three that I liked the most. While her secret did not show her in the best light, I found her to be the most genuine and caring. She'd be the one I would want as a friend, definitely not the other two.
Georgina, I had to struggle to find a redeeming quality. Sure, she seemed fun and she's probably a hoot at a party, but my appeal for her ends there, she's just a mess.
While you don't have to like the characters of a book to like the book, if the story is going to be about friendship between women, then realistically they have to be friends. There was a little bonding and good times, but they wasted time they could have had together with all the angst going on.
This book is a quick read, fine for a beach read as it isn't too deep but if you are looking for a warm fuzzy feel good book about friendships with women, this isn't it.
When I received this book I was excited. I love books about women's friendships and the idea of three women having the chance to be together for three weeks bonding with the beautiful setting of a "cabin" by a lake sounded wonderful. I love the cover, a beautiful setting of three women sitting together on a dock by a lake.
Sloane is a stay a home mom who has been unsettled since the death of her sister Amy. She's questioning so much in her life so when her daughter Maddie is away at camp and her aunt offers her the "cabin that is not a cabin" for three weeks, she jumps at the chance taking her friend Hillary with her. On the way up to the lake, the train wreck that is Georgina phones her from England and bulldozes her way along too.
First of all I don't know anyone who can drop everything and go away tomorrow for three weeks. But more importantly, I didn't like these women very much. All through the book, I kept asking myself, "why are these people, primarily Georgina and Sloane, even friends, much less best friends?"
Friendships among women are complicated and fragile but being friends with someone a long time is not enough to sustain a friendship and no reason to keep it going. There is nothing wrong with letting someone go, they may have been friends forever and it's difficult to cut the cord, but these two seemed to have nothing between them but history. There was resentment, neglect, disdain, selfishness and a little nastiness and Georgina had no idea of what it meant to be a friend.
And then there's the secrets. Each woman had a secret and while I don't want to be all judgy because we all have had secrets at some time, it also played a part in my dislike for the women, not necessarily for the secrets but also how they played out. I was bothered by Sloane's treatment of Luke. A lot of us have "the one that got away" and while it's nostalgic to look back and wonder "what if", I think we look back at that time with rose coloured glasses and don't have a clear picture. Luke was a bit destroyed when Sloane left all those years ago. It's not so much Sloane's emotional affair that I didn't like as she gave no thought to the future or how it would affect Luke if she left again. That being said, sometimes you have to lose something before you realize how much it means to you. Would Sloane have realized that if she hadn't spent those three weeks at Lake George?
Hillary was the one of the three that I liked the most. While her secret did not show her in the best light, I found her to be the most genuine and caring. She'd be the one I would want as a friend, definitely not the other two.
Georgina, I had to struggle to find a redeeming quality. Sure, she seemed fun and she's probably a hoot at a party, but my appeal for her ends there, she's just a mess.
While you don't have to like the characters of a book to like the book, if the story is going to be about friendship between women, then realistically they have to be friends. There was a little bonding and good times, but they wasted time they could have had together with all the angst going on.
This book is a quick read, fine for a beach read as it isn't too deep but if you are looking for a warm fuzzy feel good book about friendships with women, this isn't it.
July 31, 2015
those secrets we keep
by
emily liebert
What it's all about...
Three friends with nothing in common decide that they need a "just us girls' weekend" at a beautiful house on a beautiful lake in upstate New York. Sloane and Georgina were college friends...Hillary and Sloane are adult friends. Sloane has been mad at Georgina for her usual selfishness...her insensitivity when Sloane's sister dies...so Georgina invited herself on this getaway. No one really refuses Georgina anything. Everyone here has secrets and issues!
My thoughts after reading this book...
The issues...in order of importance...
Sloane is not happy with her marriage...luckily Luke...an old boyfriend is at the lake to help her figure things out...
Hillary is not being honest with her husband.
Georgina...has a huge secret...one she can't bear to tell Sloane.
What I loved best...
I loved the lake getaway. I loved the house. I loved life at the lake.
What potential readers might want to know...
These women were exceptionally annoying. They succumbed to Georgina's wild lifestyle and drank incessantly. They were out all night...almost every night. A getaway with friends did not have to be a drunken escape nightly. It was too much and too over the top. The personal stories of these women were also sometimes not believable. However...I did not hate this book...it was fun...but not memorable. So...those are the thoughts to keep in mind if this is a book you want to read.
by
emily liebert
What it's all about...
Three friends with nothing in common decide that they need a "just us girls' weekend" at a beautiful house on a beautiful lake in upstate New York. Sloane and Georgina were college friends...Hillary and Sloane are adult friends. Sloane has been mad at Georgina for her usual selfishness...her insensitivity when Sloane's sister dies...so Georgina invited herself on this getaway. No one really refuses Georgina anything. Everyone here has secrets and issues!
My thoughts after reading this book...
The issues...in order of importance...
Sloane is not happy with her marriage...luckily Luke...an old boyfriend is at the lake to help her figure things out...
Hillary is not being honest with her husband.
Georgina...has a huge secret...one she can't bear to tell Sloane.
What I loved best...
I loved the lake getaway. I loved the house. I loved life at the lake.
What potential readers might want to know...
These women were exceptionally annoying. They succumbed to Georgina's wild lifestyle and drank incessantly. They were out all night...almost every night. A getaway with friends did not have to be a drunken escape nightly. It was too much and too over the top. The personal stories of these women were also sometimes not believable. However...I did not hate this book...it was fun...but not memorable. So...those are the thoughts to keep in mind if this is a book you want to read.
June 25, 2015
This started out pretty well and is probably a decent beach read. It got too melodramatic for my tastes with several Shocking! Secrets! Revealed! At the end it really seems to be saying something like, "Good girls want to be mommies, bad girls don't," which is pretty gross.
November 29, 2016
I loved this story of three women who come together at a lakefront house to confront their pasts -- and each other. Heartfelt and real, this book will make you will see a little bit of yourself in each of its memorable characters.
May 14, 2015
Liebert kept me guessing with each turn of the page. An impactful novel about friends--new and old--and how easy it is to keep a secret even from those we love most.
October 8, 2015
I am not sure if Sloane was a shittier hostess or wife. Regardless, she sucked at both.
August 23, 2020
Hubby bought this book for me to read in advance of a weekend trip to Lake George - which didn’t happen because of travel restrictions due to COVID. Having been to Lake George, I enjoyed when the story would talk about the locations and restaurants/bars. We had been to a couple of them and I knew exactly where they were. Also got a couple of new places to go when we can finally leave our state and venture up there again. So about the book, it was a definite beach read, despite the lure of secrets kept. I felt the story was supposed to be a deep heartfelt friendship saga, but it just didn’t hit that mark for me. I went back and forth liking the characters and getting annoyed with them. All of the secrets were just so drawn out.
July 10, 2015
Title: Those Secrets We Keep
Author: Emily Liebert
Publisher: NAL
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Those Secrets We Keep" by Emily Liebert
What I liked about this novel....
This was a beautiful told story of three very exceptional but different women who all had one thing in common...their friendships and secrets along with some scandal. The title really fits this story because as you read you will find out that each of these ladies had some rather different complexities that really made this such an interesting storyline. From Sloane who was the main character in this novel... whom you would think had the perfect marriage but did she? Then there is Hilary a friend of Sloane who again thought to have had a good life but did she? And last their is Sloane's friend Georgina who was quite a person being a college friend, but now there seems like things had changed between these two.
The reader will find from the read that each of these women have some troubles in their lives that will ...well, I will stop here and say you must pick up this good read to see how this author will lay it all out to the reader. It will be one interesting read that will keep your attention all the way to the end!
What will happen when these three women are alone for a three week long summer vacation in the New York Adirondack on Lake George? What secrets will come out as they unite in this friendship which seems to also go into their life's' with their own families. Be ready for a story of some real drama..... along with even a ex lover, more complications as one friend will feel left out, dilemmas, 'hidden agendas, strong personalities, tensions all giving the reader a wonderful story of the power of female friendships and in the end the road of healing.'
The author does a great job of bring out the realness of these women's...Sloane, Hilary and Georgina...their issues, fears, insecurities to their dreams. Bye the end of this story...none of these characters will be the same. Wow, what a good read this was for me as from the young to all where each one will be able relate to this unique story.
What I especially liked from the novel...
At the end of the novel I liked the question and answer section that this author included at the end of her novel. Very well done to the author.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
October 5, 2015
If you’re lucky enough to have a few close friends—girlfriends that are like sisters—then you’ll love the friendship drama in Emily Liebert’s Those Secrets We Keep.
“Enter Broken. Leave Fixed”. That’s what Aunt Annabel tells Sloane when she offers up her lake house to her niece for a girlfriends’ getaway. I loved Sloane. She’s heartbreakingly fragile and still so lost after her sister’s death. Her grief has led her to question her happiness and her marriage and she’s counting on her time with her friends at the lake house to help her find her way. What she’s not prepared for is all the girlfriend drama.
Close friendships can be complicated, even more so when lies and secrets come to light. But Liebert does an excellent job showcasing the strengths and vulnerabilities of each of the women and you can’t help but cheer for them as they face their fears and insecurities and make decisions that leave them feeling hopeful about their futures!
“Enter Broken. Leave Fixed”. That’s what Aunt Annabel tells Sloane when she offers up her lake house to her niece for a girlfriends’ getaway. I loved Sloane. She’s heartbreakingly fragile and still so lost after her sister’s death. Her grief has led her to question her happiness and her marriage and she’s counting on her time with her friends at the lake house to help her find her way. What she’s not prepared for is all the girlfriend drama.
Close friendships can be complicated, even more so when lies and secrets come to light. But Liebert does an excellent job showcasing the strengths and vulnerabilities of each of the women and you can’t help but cheer for them as they face their fears and insecurities and make decisions that leave them feeling hopeful about their futures!
July 14, 2015
In Those Secrets We Keep, Sloane escapes to her aunt's lake house to contemplate a lackluster marriage. She is accompanied by two friends, Hilary and Georgina. Each woman has a secret which is eventually revealed. There is really not much action at all in this book. At times I was so frustrated with all three of the women and just wanted to scream at them. The ups and downs of their friendship was interesting but for the most part I found the story predictable. There was really just not enough depth here to keep me interested.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
February 5, 2019
3.5 stars. This book is about 3 women who decide to escape life and go to Sloane's aunt's vacation home in Lake George, NY. All 3 women come from different circumstances and we just watch as they go through this 3 week vacation and discover what really matters to them. I liked this book a lot, but I thought the premise was a little unrealistic. What is the likelihood that 3 women can just abandon work, family, etc. for 3 weeks? I know I couldn't swing that and it seems unrealistic that all 3 could. I also just didn't connect with the characters as much as I would've liked to and I feel like this story is one that I really enjoyed while reading but will quickly forget. All of them women have "perfect" lives but aren't satisfied and I don't feel like that ever gets actually resolved- they all just get over it and are now happy with their lives. It just didn't feel that realistic (seems to be a theme in this review). Overall I'd recommend if you're a fan of women's fiction, its just not the cream of the crop.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Sloane is our main protagonist. Her aunt has this lake house that the women all go to. Sloane is married to a great guy and has one 9 year old daughter named Maddy. Maddy is away at summer camp and Sloane is not happy in her marriage (for no obvious reason) so she's ready for a getaway. While at the lake, she runs into her ex (Luke) and debates having an affair but in the end is happy with her husband and realizes that he is the man she wants and her life is pretty good.
Hillary and her husband have been trying to conceive for a long time. But what we find out in the story is that Hillary is not sure she wants to have kids because she is scared she will end up like her mother who struggled with mental illness so she's been taking birth control all along. Her husband was demoted at work because he was spending so much time researching fertility treatments and she wouldn't even be honest and upfront with him. Hillary is the caretaker and the sweet one in the group. She and Sloane are good friends in every day life.
Georgina is Sloane's best friend from the past. She lives in London and hears about the 3 week vacation and invites herself along. She's a wild party girl and pushes the other 2 to test their limits and let their hair down. She has a husband back home and we find out in the story that she has a 1 year old daughter that shes running away from. Hillary and Georgina surprise Sloane by getting close and leaving Sloane as a 3rd wheel and she feels super betrayed when Georgina tells Hilary about the baby before Sloane. There's a huge scene where this all explodes and then we find out its even worse, the baby is Luke's from an affair in Paris! In the end, when Sloane realizes she's happy with her husband, she forgives both Luke and Georgina. We don't know if Georgina goes back to be a mother, but this trip definitely opened her to the idea and calmed her down a little.
Anyway, they all have secrets (Sloane's ex boyfriend who she wasn't over, Hillary's worry about having a baby, and Georgina's affair and resulting baby) and they all come out over these 3 weeks. Overall, I really did like this book. I just wish the characters were a little more realistic and likable.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Sloane is our main protagonist. Her aunt has this lake house that the women all go to. Sloane is married to a great guy and has one 9 year old daughter named Maddy. Maddy is away at summer camp and Sloane is not happy in her marriage (for no obvious reason) so she's ready for a getaway. While at the lake, she runs into her ex (Luke) and debates having an affair but in the end is happy with her husband and realizes that he is the man she wants and her life is pretty good.
Hillary and her husband have been trying to conceive for a long time. But what we find out in the story is that Hillary is not sure she wants to have kids because she is scared she will end up like her mother who struggled with mental illness so she's been taking birth control all along. Her husband was demoted at work because he was spending so much time researching fertility treatments and she wouldn't even be honest and upfront with him. Hillary is the caretaker and the sweet one in the group. She and Sloane are good friends in every day life.
Georgina is Sloane's best friend from the past. She lives in London and hears about the 3 week vacation and invites herself along. She's a wild party girl and pushes the other 2 to test their limits and let their hair down. She has a husband back home and we find out in the story that she has a 1 year old daughter that shes running away from. Hillary and Georgina surprise Sloane by getting close and leaving Sloane as a 3rd wheel and she feels super betrayed when Georgina tells Hilary about the baby before Sloane. There's a huge scene where this all explodes and then we find out its even worse, the baby is Luke's from an affair in Paris! In the end, when Sloane realizes she's happy with her husband, she forgives both Luke and Georgina. We don't know if Georgina goes back to be a mother, but this trip definitely opened her to the idea and calmed her down a little.
Anyway, they all have secrets (Sloane's ex boyfriend who she wasn't over, Hillary's worry about having a baby, and Georgina's affair and resulting baby) and they all come out over these 3 weeks. Overall, I really did like this book. I just wish the characters were a little more realistic and likable.
January 23, 2019
Did not think I was particularly a feminist thinker until this - the main premise seemed to be having/keeping/pleasing a husband. There were some interesting plot twists but they were not really explored. This drove me nuts - was expecting something different. I persevered with it but it just did not get any better
August 26, 2019
Another dud for me. What could have been a fun and uplifting book about female friendships, turned out to be a simplistic, predictable and quite honestly disappointing story about three selfish, self-absorbed and unsympathetic women that have no business being friends.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Berkley (NAL/Signet Romance) for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Berkley (NAL/Signet Romance) for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.
January 22, 2019
No one does Elin Hilderbrand like Elin Hilderbrand.
Also nobody talks like this.
Last line:
Also nobody talks like this.
Last line:
November 22, 2023
The WORST!
December 7, 2023
Meh. This book was just ok. I didn’t particularly like the writing style. The dialogue felt stilted and cliche. The 3 main characters were all more unlikable than likable. It kind of felt like a book about nothing when I was done.
June 9, 2015
Emily Liebert returns after You Knew Me When and When We Fall, with contemporary chick-lit THOSE SECRETS WE KEEP, exploring the complexities of three different women; their friendships, dirty little secrets and scandals--for a sizzling summer beach read.
Meet the three women:
Sloane is the main character, and the central focus of the three women. A stay-at-home mom, married with a perfect life (on the outside); with husband, daughter, and financial security. However, after losing her sister Amy to cancer she is depressed. As mid-life crisis approaches, she decides a laid back gals’ weekend may be just what she needs. Her aunt’s house on Lake George will be a perfect setting for the weekend with her friend Hilary.
Hilary has a good life, career and personal family life, except no baby, as she has been unable to conceive. She also has a secrets.
To add more drama into the mix, Sloane has a friend from her past, from college. A trip planned for only Hilary and Sloane. However, Sloane steps in (hate it when that happens) and invites herself. So now three, which makes it a little awkward. Sloane is in the middle of a new friend and old friend. (This is asking for trouble). Hilary of course does not have the history as the two old friends.
Sloane and Georgina have a shared past. Georgina is irresponsible, a wild child from old family money, and always escapes when the pressure of life comes her way. Georgina is everything Sloane is not. Sloane is responsible, kind, and has a stable life; whereas, Georgina is impulsive and irresponsible. As always, with this difference, life is always greener on the other side.
Making for some complex human dynamics, they were not all three friends before going to the lake. As we all are aware, we are not the same person as we were back in college and our new friends may not share in the history. With three distinct personalities, there is always the odd (woman) out.
As the three women unite for a three week long summer vacation in the New York Adirondacks with a beautiful setting--can they keep their secrets of the heart? What is behind their façade, and the perfect face many women put on, when fearing if their friends know the real person with the issues, they may not like them. Not only are they keeping secrets from their friends, but also with their respective families.
There always has to be an ex-lover involved to crank up the intensity and sizzle. There are many more complications when you get three women together, versus two, with taking sides. With hidden agendas, strong personalities, and tensions, a story of the power of female friendships, and the road to healing.
Fans of Emily Giffin, Sarah Pekkanen, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinnke will be drawn to the issues of modern women, their fears, insecurities and dreams. Young to middle age women, single, married and mothers will relate.
I discovered Emily years ago, and highly recommend Those Secrets We Keep and her previous books, if you have not had an opportunity to read. She has used two women in her previous books, and does a nice job of adding in another layer with a third strong personality. Nice Character development!
“You can’t expect people to change their colors and act the way you want them to act when you’ve accepted them for who they are for this long.”
Looking forward to Emily's fifth book, Some Women, set to release on April 5, 2016.
JDCMustReadBooks
When We Fall 9/2/2014
You Knew Me When 9/3/2013
Meet the three women:
Sloane is the main character, and the central focus of the three women. A stay-at-home mom, married with a perfect life (on the outside); with husband, daughter, and financial security. However, after losing her sister Amy to cancer she is depressed. As mid-life crisis approaches, she decides a laid back gals’ weekend may be just what she needs. Her aunt’s house on Lake George will be a perfect setting for the weekend with her friend Hilary.
Hilary has a good life, career and personal family life, except no baby, as she has been unable to conceive. She also has a secrets.
To add more drama into the mix, Sloane has a friend from her past, from college. A trip planned for only Hilary and Sloane. However, Sloane steps in (hate it when that happens) and invites herself. So now three, which makes it a little awkward. Sloane is in the middle of a new friend and old friend. (This is asking for trouble). Hilary of course does not have the history as the two old friends.
Sloane and Georgina have a shared past. Georgina is irresponsible, a wild child from old family money, and always escapes when the pressure of life comes her way. Georgina is everything Sloane is not. Sloane is responsible, kind, and has a stable life; whereas, Georgina is impulsive and irresponsible. As always, with this difference, life is always greener on the other side.
Making for some complex human dynamics, they were not all three friends before going to the lake. As we all are aware, we are not the same person as we were back in college and our new friends may not share in the history. With three distinct personalities, there is always the odd (woman) out.
As the three women unite for a three week long summer vacation in the New York Adirondacks with a beautiful setting--can they keep their secrets of the heart? What is behind their façade, and the perfect face many women put on, when fearing if their friends know the real person with the issues, they may not like them. Not only are they keeping secrets from their friends, but also with their respective families.
There always has to be an ex-lover involved to crank up the intensity and sizzle. There are many more complications when you get three women together, versus two, with taking sides. With hidden agendas, strong personalities, and tensions, a story of the power of female friendships, and the road to healing.
Fans of Emily Giffin, Sarah Pekkanen, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinnke will be drawn to the issues of modern women, their fears, insecurities and dreams. Young to middle age women, single, married and mothers will relate.
I discovered Emily years ago, and highly recommend Those Secrets We Keep and her previous books, if you have not had an opportunity to read. She has used two women in her previous books, and does a nice job of adding in another layer with a third strong personality. Nice Character development!
“You can’t expect people to change their colors and act the way you want them to act when you’ve accepted them for who they are for this long.”
Looking forward to Emily's fifth book, Some Women, set to release on April 5, 2016.
JDCMustReadBooks
When We Fall 9/2/2014
You Knew Me When 9/3/2013
July 7, 2015
Sometimes I read books that aren't my typical genre just to reach out and maybe find something fun that I would have missed otherwise. I am always so pleased when this works out in my favor. In the case of Those Secrets We Keep by Emily Liebert, I can't really call it a success. Sloane has a great life, some people might even think it is perfect. She is married to her gorgeous high school sweetheart who adores her and she has a wonderful daughter whom she adores. The problem is that over the last year or so Sloane has felt that something in her life is missing, she feels unsettled and unhappy and she doesn't even really know why. When her aunt offers to let her use her vacation house for three weeks, Sloane is thrilled with the idea. "Enter broken. Leave fixed." These are the words her aunt gives her as a promise and as a mandate. Sloane takes her friend Hillary with her and they set off for a much-needed rest, only that rest is interrupted when Sloane's best friend from college, Georgina, crashes the party. Georgina is anything but restful and Sloane is still angry with her for leaving her in her time of need a year before. Of course, as the title makes clear, there are plenty of secrets between the three women and eventually they all come pouring out of them.
I don't usually like chick lit and this is it to the core. It's about women and friendships, and it would be a perfect beach read for someone who enjoys this genre, but it really didn't appeal to me very much. Sloane is unhappy in her marriage, but rather than take the time to work on it, she runs off and pretends the problems don't exist. Georgina and Hillary are also both running from their own secrets and don't appear to put much work into making things better until the very end. In the author's note at the end, she suggests there may be a sequel so that may be why the end felt abrupt. I can't say I found any of these women particularly likable which also made this a difficult read for me. Of course I am well aware that there is a great following of this genre and as far as I can tell this book would certainly be enjoyed by its fans. If this is your kind of thing, pick it up and hopefully you'll see something I missed.
I don't usually like chick lit and this is it to the core. It's about women and friendships, and it would be a perfect beach read for someone who enjoys this genre, but it really didn't appeal to me very much. Sloane is unhappy in her marriage, but rather than take the time to work on it, she runs off and pretends the problems don't exist. Georgina and Hillary are also both running from their own secrets and don't appear to put much work into making things better until the very end. In the author's note at the end, she suggests there may be a sequel so that may be why the end felt abrupt. I can't say I found any of these women particularly likable which also made this a difficult read for me. Of course I am well aware that there is a great following of this genre and as far as I can tell this book would certainly be enjoyed by its fans. If this is your kind of thing, pick it up and hopefully you'll see something I missed.
September 5, 2015
This novel had a lot of promise for me. I enjoy books about friendships, books sent in fun settings, and books with tough subjects and potential conflicts that arise from these tough subjects. Those Secrets We Keep had all of those elements. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this one much. I really didn’t like any of the characters and overall, the book just never came together for me. It could very well just be me, but here’s my opinion of what exactly didn’t work in the book.
The three women in the book really did nothing for me in terms of personality. They were catty and mean to one another, and jumped to conclusions about the motivations for each others’ behavior and choices. It was clear that there was a lot of pain behind the interactions between Sloane and Georgina, but there was so little effort towards a reconciliation that it was laughable. Why would they choose to spend this time together if they were just going to fight the whole time? It made zero sense to me. Hillary was a little better, constantly trying to be a peacemaker between the other two, acting as a voice of reason when all other reason was out the window, but eventually that kind of got old and I wanted her to have a personality of her own, something unique and special about her that I could latch onto in order to connect with her character. It never happened for me.
I also had a difficult time with the juxtaposition of the seriousness of the issues being discussed and the lighthearted manner the women displayed in dealing with the issues. We’re talking infertility, cancer, a death in the family, and more. And while this stuff was discussed, in fact it was in some cases a central part of the book, it was done in a strange way that treated these issues as secondary to the fights the women were having. I am not sure if I’m explaining it properly, but it just didn’t work for me.
While Those Secrets We Keep was disappointing for me, perhaps you’d enjoy it more. Stories about female friendships are important to me, and I like what Leibert tried to do here, it just wasn’t a novel that lived up to my expectations. If the description sounds interesting to you, though, by all means give it a try!
The three women in the book really did nothing for me in terms of personality. They were catty and mean to one another, and jumped to conclusions about the motivations for each others’ behavior and choices. It was clear that there was a lot of pain behind the interactions between Sloane and Georgina, but there was so little effort towards a reconciliation that it was laughable. Why would they choose to spend this time together if they were just going to fight the whole time? It made zero sense to me. Hillary was a little better, constantly trying to be a peacemaker between the other two, acting as a voice of reason when all other reason was out the window, but eventually that kind of got old and I wanted her to have a personality of her own, something unique and special about her that I could latch onto in order to connect with her character. It never happened for me.
I also had a difficult time with the juxtaposition of the seriousness of the issues being discussed and the lighthearted manner the women displayed in dealing with the issues. We’re talking infertility, cancer, a death in the family, and more. And while this stuff was discussed, in fact it was in some cases a central part of the book, it was done in a strange way that treated these issues as secondary to the fights the women were having. I am not sure if I’m explaining it properly, but it just didn’t work for me.
While Those Secrets We Keep was disappointing for me, perhaps you’d enjoy it more. Stories about female friendships are important to me, and I like what Leibert tried to do here, it just wasn’t a novel that lived up to my expectations. If the description sounds interesting to you, though, by all means give it a try!
July 5, 2015
In the year following the sudden death of her sister Amy, Sloane has been struggling. Her loss consumes her, although she still clings to her remaining connections, to her daughter Maddie and her husband Eddie.
But for a while now, she has felt distanced from her marriage.
So when Maddie heads off to sleepaway camp that summer, Sloane takes her aunt up on her offer to spend some time in her cabin at Lake George. And Sloane invites her friend Hillary, who has become someone she sees as reliable and comforting.
But before she can even drive away from her home in Brookline, Massachusetts, Sloane's old college friend Georgina calls and insists on coming with them.
Frustrated, Sloane tries to look forward to the getaway, but is reminded once again of how disappointing her friendship with Georgina has become. A wild child, Georgina has always had all the money she wanted and no responsibilities. She is loud, gregarious, and pushes her way into every situation, with her sense of entitlement showing.
It was easy to dislike the character of Georgina, and even though Sloane is trying to figure out what she wants and where she will end up, I found myself rooting for her. And I was also eager to see good things happen for Hillary. Before the summer ends, however, we will discover the big secret she has been keeping from her husband.
"Those Secrets We Keep" was a somewhat predictable novel about friendships, secrets, and trying to find new beginnings during a summer getaway, and while there were some unexpected situations, like the huge secret Georgina has been keeping, there was nothing particularly unique about the story or the characters.
However, it was interesting to see how everything played out, watching what the women would do and what choices they would make. 4 stars.
But for a while now, she has felt distanced from her marriage.
So when Maddie heads off to sleepaway camp that summer, Sloane takes her aunt up on her offer to spend some time in her cabin at Lake George. And Sloane invites her friend Hillary, who has become someone she sees as reliable and comforting.
But before she can even drive away from her home in Brookline, Massachusetts, Sloane's old college friend Georgina calls and insists on coming with them.
Frustrated, Sloane tries to look forward to the getaway, but is reminded once again of how disappointing her friendship with Georgina has become. A wild child, Georgina has always had all the money she wanted and no responsibilities. She is loud, gregarious, and pushes her way into every situation, with her sense of entitlement showing.
It was easy to dislike the character of Georgina, and even though Sloane is trying to figure out what she wants and where she will end up, I found myself rooting for her. And I was also eager to see good things happen for Hillary. Before the summer ends, however, we will discover the big secret she has been keeping from her husband.
"Those Secrets We Keep" was a somewhat predictable novel about friendships, secrets, and trying to find new beginnings during a summer getaway, and while there were some unexpected situations, like the huge secret Georgina has been keeping, there was nothing particularly unique about the story or the characters.
However, it was interesting to see how everything played out, watching what the women would do and what choices they would make. 4 stars.
August 6, 2015
4.5 stars
**Reviewed for Wicked Women Book Blog**
This is one of the most captivating Women’s Contemporary novels I have read in a long time. Three friends, Hillary, Sloane, and Georgina, each with their own secrets, join together at a lake house for three weeks in the summer. The three women set out on their adventure hoping to take some time away from their everyday lives to relax. Little do they know that they will end up being the support that each of them needs to face their secrets head on. Throughout the book we are given little tidbits of information as to what each friend’s secret is. In some instances I had a feeling what the character was keeping secret, and in others I was completely blown away.
The story seamlessly rotates from one friend’s story to the next, blending the three stories together in a smooth sequence that works effortlessly. The characters are each very unique and highly developed. I feel like everyone who reads this story should be able to relate to at least one of the characters in the book in one way or another. Maybe the reader has the same secret as one of the women in the story, or perhaps they have a friend who inhabits some of the traits from one of the characters. There is a “real life” feel to these women and the situations they have found themselves immersed in.
Probably the most underrated character of the whole book is Aunt Annabel . She seems to know when to pop in to offer some of her infinite wisdom. “Don’t wish, my love. Wishing is the work of fools. Just open your heart. Open your heart and trust.”
I love how the author gives the reader a satisfactory ending without tying everything up in a nice little bow. That is how Emily left this story. She also left enough of the story open ended so that there can be a sequel. I definitely would like to see what is in store for the future of our delightful trio.
**Reviewed for Wicked Women Book Blog**
This is one of the most captivating Women’s Contemporary novels I have read in a long time. Three friends, Hillary, Sloane, and Georgina, each with their own secrets, join together at a lake house for three weeks in the summer. The three women set out on their adventure hoping to take some time away from their everyday lives to relax. Little do they know that they will end up being the support that each of them needs to face their secrets head on. Throughout the book we are given little tidbits of information as to what each friend’s secret is. In some instances I had a feeling what the character was keeping secret, and in others I was completely blown away.
The story seamlessly rotates from one friend’s story to the next, blending the three stories together in a smooth sequence that works effortlessly. The characters are each very unique and highly developed. I feel like everyone who reads this story should be able to relate to at least one of the characters in the book in one way or another. Maybe the reader has the same secret as one of the women in the story, or perhaps they have a friend who inhabits some of the traits from one of the characters. There is a “real life” feel to these women and the situations they have found themselves immersed in.
Probably the most underrated character of the whole book is Aunt Annabel . She seems to know when to pop in to offer some of her infinite wisdom. “Don’t wish, my love. Wishing is the work of fools. Just open your heart. Open your heart and trust.”
I love how the author gives the reader a satisfactory ending without tying everything up in a nice little bow. That is how Emily left this story. She also left enough of the story open ended so that there can be a sequel. I definitely would like to see what is in store for the future of our delightful trio.
July 11, 2015
Sloane is a stay at home mum to a nine year old, Maddie. She has been living a happy life with Maddie and husband, Eddie, but ever since her sister died a year ago, she has been struggling. When her daughter goes off to Summer camp, she decides to go off to her aunt's house with her friend Hillary.
Hillary is a successful woman married to a wonderful guy, the only thing missing is a child in their lives. She readily agrees to a three week, women only break with Sloane.
On their way to their getaway, Sloane gets a call from her oldest friend Georgina who, on hearing their plans, promptly decides to join them too, all the way from England.
Three women, on a holiday, each with baggage of their own, and deep secrets that threaten to surface.
A book that could have been captivating, but it lost me somewhere. The characters didn't appeal to me. I couldn't understand Sloane and Georgina's friendship, how can some one continue to be 'friends' for so long and have so many deep rooted issues with each other. Some of it all felt quite fake.
And the way it ended - felt just a bit too convenient.
An easy read, possibly a holiday book, if you don't analyse too much. But not my cup of tea. A 2.5 read.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the review copy of this book.
Hillary is a successful woman married to a wonderful guy, the only thing missing is a child in their lives. She readily agrees to a three week, women only break with Sloane.
On their way to their getaway, Sloane gets a call from her oldest friend Georgina who, on hearing their plans, promptly decides to join them too, all the way from England.
Three women, on a holiday, each with baggage of their own, and deep secrets that threaten to surface.
A book that could have been captivating, but it lost me somewhere. The characters didn't appeal to me. I couldn't understand Sloane and Georgina's friendship, how can some one continue to be 'friends' for so long and have so many deep rooted issues with each other. Some of it all felt quite fake.
And the way it ended - felt just a bit too convenient.
An easy read, possibly a holiday book, if you don't analyse too much. But not my cup of tea. A 2.5 read.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the review copy of this book.
October 11, 2016
I wanted to like it and I kept hoping it would get better but it didn't for me. There were a lot of weird insignificant details and the story was all over the place. I wasn't crazy about the writing style- I found myself having to re-read a lot of pages trying to figure out which character she was talking about. There was a point where I ended a chapter and started a new one and I had to make sure I hadn't accidentally skipped ahead because it seemed like she skipped over dramatic events. This was just ok. Sloane and Hillary were likable and relatable but I just felt like there wasn't enough detail where I would have liked to hear more and too much detail about insignificant things in their lives that I found boring and out of place.
August 8, 2016
I really didn't like this book. I seem to be on a run of books filled with unlikeable characters. These women are awful, not sympathetic and not believable. Their individual secrets are either over the top, or really just not that interesting. The plot is simiplistic, predictable, and honestly kind of boring. The only reason I finished it is that I was stuck with no wifi and nothing else to read.
August 11, 2015
Horrible, boring, predictable. Characters are one dimensional and unsympathetic. You never really understand why the main characters do the horrible things they do. Had to force myself to finish it.
July 8, 2015
Very difficult to finish
I have never heard or read about three more selfish drunken women. I doubt that I will seek out other works by this author. Sorry maybe others will be able to get through this.
I have never heard or read about three more selfish drunken women. I doubt that I will seek out other works by this author. Sorry maybe others will be able to get through this.
Want to read
July 20, 2015I won this book for free in a blog giveaway. It just arrived along with a beautiful IT makeup bag! Stay tuned for my review!
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