Secrets and Shadows

by Mary Nickson

Determined to start a new life, Louisa Forrester has come to Scotland in search of adventure, new relationships and a second chance. She has enrolled on a creative writing course at the renowned Glendrochatt Arts Centre. It is here that she meets Marnie Donovan, a young American woman who has travelled to Scotland in search of the childhood home of her eccentric benefactress, hoping for answers to questions that have haunted her all her life.Isobel Grant, who runs the centre with her husband Giles, is facing the greatest challenge of her life but must put on a brave face for everyone's sake.

Initially Louisa and Marnie dislike each other, especially when both women are drawn to the same man. And Isobel must keep the peace.But enigmatic Christopher Piper carries his own secrets from the past and in their brief encounter all are forced to confront the truth about themselves and the choices they have made.

Told with warmth and insight, Secrets and Shadows is a beautifully written story of three women and how they learn to embrace the future, however uncertain ...

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Roman, Drama

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Under her former name: Mary Sheepshanks, Nickson also published several novels, including Off Balance, the prequel to Secrets and Shadows, and several works of poetry.

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opinião em: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...

[Yang Shu-yuan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Louisa will noch einmal ganz von vorn anfangen. Während eines Schreibseminars in den schottischen Highlands findet sie in Marnie eine enge Vertraute und in Christopher den Mann, der sie zum ersten Mal seit Langem zum Lachen bringt. Doch auch Marnie fühlt sich zu Christopher hingezogen. Ein wunderbarer Roman über die Wendepunkte im Leben und das Aufblitzen ganz großer Gefühle.

Louisa ist gerade frisch getrennt von ihrem Ehemann und hat ihren Job an den Nagel gehängt, als sie zu ihrer Cousine Isobel fährt, die auf ihrem schottischen Anwesen Schreibseminare veranstaltet. Louisa freut sich auf ein Wiedersehen mit Isobel und hofft auf Inspiration in dem Schreibkurs für ihren neuen Lebensanfang. Im Lauf der kommenden Tage verfasst sie beeindruckende Texte über eine schwere Krebserkrankung in ihrer Jugend, die sie fast das Leben kostete. Und sie gewinnt schnell eine neue Freundin. Auch Marnie hat Talent zum Schreiben. Die Erinnerungen an ihre Kindheit auf den Antillen, die von einem dunklen Geheimnis überschattet wurde, fesseln die Leser vom ersten Augenblick an. Dann aber wird diese Freundschaft von den Gefühlen eines Mannes gestört. Der Schriftsteller Christopher hatte sich zu Beginn des Kurses zu der lebenslustigen Louisa hingezogen gefühlt, nun aber, da er mehr über die stille Marnie weiß, interessiert er sich eindeutig für sie. Ein Reigen dramatischer Gefühle mit ungewissem Ausgang ist eröffnet …

[Paulette · Rating 4 out of 5]

bought on a whim, because it was reduced due to a grubby cover, I was entralled from the first page. I got immersed in the lives of all the characters, not just the main 3 girls as the cover suggested was the main storyline. I will be looking out for more of Mary's books

[Vera Neves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comentário aqui: http://www.umlivroeumcafe.blogspot.pt...

Avaliação: 4,5 estrelas

[Babete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma história cativante e reconfortante!

( Emprestado )

[Ade Fraser · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro me ha gustado, pero me quedo con el primero. Me sabe mal decir esto porque los nuevos personajes y su historia me ha gustado, pero me interesaban más las partes en las que aparecían los personajes de la primera parte. Además, me parece que se ha dejado algunos cabos sueltos como el destino de una de las protagonistas, o que ni siquiera nombran a dos personajes que fueron muy importantes en la parte anterior y la verdad, me gustaban bastante.
Creo que daría para una tercera parte, pero debido a la antigüedad de estos libros, dudo que la autora lo haga.
Aún así, creo que ambos libros merecen la pena, pues la forma de describir los sentimientos de los personajes de la autora han facilitado que empatice con ellos. Excepto Lorna, que doy gracias de que salga poco, porque es uno de los personajes con más maldad que he leído.

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was entralled from the first page. I got immersed in the lives of all the characters, not just the main 3 girls as the cover suggested. I fell in love with Isobel and Giles, and their way of life - what a great life that would be doing what you love with the one you love. I loved the Contessa and her impression left on one so small. I didn't appreciate how Louisa's character changed in the last few chapters towards Christopher and Marnie. Poor Marnie, but Christopher is a guy with good morals and proved that he could be counted on to do the right thing. Also Isobel's sister Lorna, is a very close resemblance to my sister, so that hit home. I would read this book again and recommend it to friends. I have never read any of this authors books before. I like her style, so I will be looking for more of Marys books.

[Cheryll · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the first chapter I thought that I was in for a good read. I was wrong! The story just didn't go anywhere... Weak characters and story-line and far too much descriptive language. Not my cup of tea :(

[Samira Salimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of people with writing passions turn up at Glendrochatt Arts Centre. They stay there for a week or so and make friends with each other, they also open up their life stories and take a further step.
This is a smooth book and I was glued to it.

[Imke · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 star but gave it 4 because the descriptions of the Scottish highlands and castles were amazing and it felt like I was back there for a moment.
Didn’t really care about the plot and a lot of the characters though.

[Nicki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quaint. Not even remotely believable. But okay for a light read. I skimmed the last section because it was dragging out a little too long and I had stopped caring.

[Letitia Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyable reading, but a bit too descriptive/detailed for my liking, found I just ended up skimming a lot and the ending was a bit flat

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern fairytale.

[Charmaine Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part 1 and 2 great but theb part 3 seemed so rushed.

[Anne-Wil Geneugelijk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuk boek! Het was even inkomen, maar daarna was het lekker lezen. Schotland wordt mooi omschreven.

[Saturnina Escribano Cortés · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro que te engancha desde el principio ,no te aburres en ningún momento recomendable

[Els]

Not really my cup of tea so I won’t rate it.
(Romance/love story, he loves me - he loves me not)
It was ok but it did drag on a bit, and I didn’t care very much for any of the main characters.

[Aquí mandan los libros · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entretenido y evocador

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las historias en este libro son bonitas,continúa la historia de Isobel pero con menos detalles. Es bonito,pero me gusta más el primero.

[Ana (O Mundo Encantado dos Livros) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Costumamos ouvir que o passado torna-nos naquilo que somos e muitas vezes nem acreditamos no quanto essa afirmação é verdadeira. Os sofrimentos, as alegrias, os mistérios das nossas vidas podem transformar a nossa personalidade das mais variadas maneiras. Todos esses pequenos detalhes podem ser visionados na personalidade das personagens deste livro. Cada uma delas tem um mistério nas suas vidas, cada uma tem algo que marcou o seu passado e que torna difícil a missão de seguir em frente, de trespassar o muro que veda o caminho para os seus corações. Vamos conhecer Marnie que teve uma infância muito complicada, mas suavizada pela sua amiga Luciana, Louisa que passou por uma doença e que está cansada da vida simples que levava, Christopher que desde o inicio se mostra muito enigmático, fazendo com que as duas mulheres se sintam atraída por ele e também Isobel, a dona do centro de artes onde estão todos hospedados para participar num curso de escrita criativa, que tenta mostrar a todos a sua vida perfeita, mas que na verdade tudo não passa de aparências. É neste cenário artístico que a nossa historia de desenrola e que vemos as nossas personagens a desabrochar muito lentamente, deixando que os outros vejam pouco a pouco o seu verdadeiro “eu” e os mistérios que os seus passados escondem. Devo confessar que não foi uma leitura fácil para mim, apesar de ter gostado da história não tinha aquela vontade insaciável que virar a página para saber o que viria a seguir. É um livro encantador, que deve ser lido no momento certo, com a disposição certa, só assim conseguimos apreciar o seu conteúdo. Penso que devemos felicitar a autora pela forma expressiva com que nos prendou neste romance, nem todas as pessoas se conseguem expressar de uma forma tão espontânea, apesar de algumas vezes reparar que se perdia um pouco em descrições variadas.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

In het eilandhuis wordt de lezer meegenomen in de levens van drie deelnemers van een creatief schrijven cursus in het eilandhuis van Isobel Grant. Het verhaal begint echter in de jeugd van Marnie Donovan wat de start van het verhaal niet al te gemakkelijk maakt, wie is wie en waar blijven die louisa, isobel en christopher van de achterflap? Het duurt even en voor je compleet in het verhaal van Marnie zit verschuift het verhaal naar de cursus in het eilandhuis. Hier heeft ieder zijn eigen redenen om deel te nemen en zijn eigen problemen. Isobel probeert een gezin en bedrijf draaiende te houden, Marnie probeert zich open te stellen voor anderen, Louisa is op zoek naar avontuur en uitdagingen en ten slotte Christopher die het beste probeert te maken van zijn verleden.

Naast dat het begin niet al te goed te volgen is biedt het verdere verhaal weinig diepgang of uitdaging. Het verhaal lijkt op het echte leven, waar van alles gebeurt maar het tempo niet altijd even hoog ligt. In 300 pagina's nemen de problemen toe en leidt dit tot een climax die in de laatste paar hoofdstukken tot een behoorlijk voorspelbaar einde komt. Een aardig vermakelijk verhaal, zonder diepgang of hoog tempo en eindigt in een ietwat voorspelbaar en daarma teleurstellend einde. Vooral omdat het een gedeeltelijk open eind bezit, waar ik het niet zo op heb.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's a character-based saga, starting with an elderly lady who bonds with a small, neglected girl. The main section of the book features a writing course in Scotland, where the girl, now grown up, is on a kind of treasure hunt.

I was surprised - and pleased - to find that this book is also a sequel to 'Off Balance' - by Mary Sheepshanks, another name Mary Nickson wrote under, featuring many of the same people.

I could hardly put it down once I had started, and it's not a short book! Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys this genre. Enjoyed just as much on re-reading nearly twelve years later.

Latest full review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Hannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een heerlijk boek voor tussendoor. Het verhaal speelt zich grotendeels af in Schotland, waar een groep mensen samen een schrijfcursus volgt. Hoewel het verhaal een romantisch tintje heeft, gaat het niet alleen over de liefde, maar ook over vriendschaps- en familiebanden. Ik heb dit boek als luisterboek en vond het prettig om er naar geluisterd te hebben. Al ergerde ik me soms wel aan de uitweidingen. Zo zitten een aantal mensen te ontbijten en dan wordt er gezegd dat een van de personages niet dik is, dus dat die best wel wat kan eten. Zo zitten er nog wat meer van dat soort beschrijvingen in. Van mij had de schrijfster die wel weg mogen laten. Verder vond ik het een leuk verhaal.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Basically, I just love it when a story takes place in a country I've never been to (which is practically nothing). It gets my imagination going! So I really enjoyed Secrets and Shadows (: Also, I love to try to figure people out and see what they're all about, and this was definitely a good book for that. It's all about people's past and how that influences them in the rest of their lives. Also, it's about changing your life and yourself for the better, even if it's not in your own hands. Oh, and fate! I love fate.

[Carinya Kappler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has many lovable features. It is set in picturesque Scotland in a beautiful setting where creative, interesting people gather for workshops and share ideas. This fertile backdrop yields multiple interesting mini plots and sagas which are successfully melded into the intertwined plot. The writing is delightful, the characters not always charming but quite believable. Two women, Louisa and Marnie are attracted to the same man, thus putting them on a collision course. This is a good light read, with lots of entertaining passages. I enjoyed it.
Carinya

[Maia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is Mary Sheepshanks alter ego or the like, and so far, the 2 books I've read under the Nickson name don't come close to the originals. Don't even know why she did this. Blurb reads "A beautifully written story of three women and three uncertain futures" a la Maeve Binchty but, personally, I found the 3 women plain irritating, didn't care as much as I'd have liked to about their 'uncertain' futures and thought the writing trite and pedestrian.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eclectic mix of people are brought together on a literary course,and stay in the beautiful Scottish countryside. All the participants have a story to tell, there are the inevitable secrets and shadows to be revealed. A predicable story, but a lovely read.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book had lots of reference to Scotland which was really good. Would make you want to go travelling to explore the different areas mentioned. Characters were a good mix with some nice moments of romance, fun and a little bit of drama to keep you wanting to turn the pages.

[Lisa Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in rural Scotland, this is the story of various characters coming together to participate in a writng course. It's a good read with believable characters.

[Serena · Rating 2 out of 5]

so far its a really good book