A Secret Splendor

by Sandra Brown

Arden Gentry flew to the lush island of Maui for one specific inserting herself into Drew McCasslin’s life.

The dashing widower, having bitterly grieved the death of his wife, is ready to start living again and believes their meeting is a sign to keep moving forward. He and his young son, Matt, are drawn to Arden’s warmth and tenderness, and they open their wounded hearts to her.

But even as the passion between Drew and Arden begins to point toward love, she harbors the secret behind their inextricable bond, a revelation that could rip them apart.

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published July 23, 2024

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).

Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.

In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.

Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an older book, 1983 I hadn't read by Ms. Brown. Good story kept my interest though for some reason I don't enjoy the author love story as much as her mysteries they keep me glued to the book to the point I can't put down - weird.

[Marchelle Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arden Gentry goes to Maui in search of the son she gave birth to as a surrogate/egg donor when married to her ex Dr Ron Lowery as means to divorce him and gain money for her their son Joey to leave. She never knew the famous celebrity she was helping have this baby but after the death of her son and some digging she found out it was tennis pro Drew McCasslin, now widowed, and she hoped fate would allow them to meet, form a bond and her to meet their son. Little did she know they would fall madly in love, he would unearth a sex drive she never experienced and Ron would come back to blackmail and share her secret.

[Melanie Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t honestly say that I really liked it. I did finish it. I just kind of got tired of the plot and of the characters. Maybe because I personally would never carry out a lie and a deception to that length and for that long. So toward the end, the timing just got to be unbelievable and a bit too much for me. Like she told off Ron before she even confessed the truth to Drew? No wonder it blew up in her face! It had some steamy scenes in it. I will give it that.

[Rebecca Cecil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Sandra Brown have read tons of her books. Most of the time the ones I read have more mystery than romance. This one has a little mystery I guess you could call it that. It was a good read. I enjoyed it.
A woman is married but the man is harsh even brutal he does not love here he just uses her and her fear of him. One day she gets tired of it. What will she do. She has a secret when she meets the tennis player but she vegans to fall in love with him which she knows should not happen. Then one day the past slaps her in the face.
You can never run from your past it tends to follow you. One can only hope it does not swallow you up again.

[HTP Books]

Sports Romance, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance

[Bella Ruiz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pedophilic and gross, Colleen Hoover vibes

[Tommie · Rating 2 out of 5]

the sex scenes, of which there were many, were not that splendid. reads like a harlequin romance. written in the 1980s.

[Cherie Barker · Rating 3 out of 5]

It turned out to be more of a romance novel, just not the genre for me. Nice happy ending tho.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read Sandra Brown before and I know they are usually love stories however this one had a lot of fluff. I was constantly reading about them being in bed instead of more of the story.