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Can You Keep A Secret?
Georgie James and her friends come up with a genius plan to help them stick to their resolutions… They all write down secrets, seal them in envelopes and then post them to each other. The secrets will be revealed at the end of the year if they haven’t kept their resolutions.
It’s perfect. Except…
Georgie's secret is BIG... and revealing it could destroy their friendships. She has no idea why she chose that one to write down. There are plenty of innocent things she could have said – even admitting she finds newcomer Raf incredibly annoying would have been better.
What she does know is that there’s no way she can let her secret be revealed. Which means she needs to keep her (nightmare) resolutions and, most importantly, get her envelope back before anyone can open it. Which, given she sent her secret to Raf, means spending a lot more time with him than she’d choose to...
A heartwarming romantic comedy for fans of Beth O’Leary and Mhairi McFarlane
It’s perfect. Except…
Georgie's secret is BIG... and revealing it could destroy their friendships. She has no idea why she chose that one to write down. There are plenty of innocent things she could have said – even admitting she finds newcomer Raf incredibly annoying would have been better.
What she does know is that there’s no way she can let her secret be revealed. Which means she needs to keep her (nightmare) resolutions and, most importantly, get her envelope back before anyone can open it. Which, given she sent her secret to Raf, means spending a lot more time with him than she’d choose to...
A heartwarming romantic comedy for fans of Beth O’Leary and Mhairi McFarlane
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 8, 2024
841 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
January 23, 2024
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
This book really frustrated me. All these "friends" had secrets and resolutions then lied about both. We're talking people in their mid-thirties and they acted like children about it. For the love of gawd ladies, you do not need to worry about your weight because of how you look! Your doctor is the only one who should tell you about your weight if it concerns your health. I have never been skinny and I never will be and yes, I have worried about my weight but it is because of diabetes and heart disease not to look good in a pair of jeans. Yes, I like to lose pounds and looking and feeling better BUT, I eat what I want in moderation and never in my life have I said I don't look good, I don't follow fashion trends to make myself look thinner...I wear horizontal strips if I want and plenty of bright colours. I don't ever remember acting the way these women did. New Year's resolutions are stupid. It doesn't have to be January first for you to start doing something you enjoy or want to change about yourself. If you want to change then just do it!
The secrets were pretty dumb too...one of them I had figured out almost right away and the rest were just a letdown. Has no one ever heard of the word communication? These are best friends since they were five years old and spouses! I can't imagine keeping something like that from the people closest to me and who it affects the most. In a close relationship, romantic or otherwise, have a conversation. I am so tired of this trope, not just in romance but in women's fiction as well. Sneaking around stealing envelopes and lying about keeping your resolution is just juvenile and ridiculous. And it turned out in the end it was all for nothing because they all lied about it anyway! I don't understand the whole point of it then. Maybe I'm too dumb or getting crotchety in my old age (58 in July).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
This book really frustrated me. All these "friends" had secrets and resolutions then lied about both. We're talking people in their mid-thirties and they acted like children about it. For the love of gawd ladies, you do not need to worry about your weight because of how you look! Your doctor is the only one who should tell you about your weight if it concerns your health. I have never been skinny and I never will be and yes, I have worried about my weight but it is because of diabetes and heart disease not to look good in a pair of jeans. Yes, I like to lose pounds and looking and feeling better BUT, I eat what I want in moderation and never in my life have I said I don't look good, I don't follow fashion trends to make myself look thinner...I wear horizontal strips if I want and plenty of bright colours. I don't ever remember acting the way these women did. New Year's resolutions are stupid. It doesn't have to be January first for you to start doing something you enjoy or want to change about yourself. If you want to change then just do it!
The secrets were pretty dumb too...one of them I had figured out almost right away and the rest were just a letdown. Has no one ever heard of the word communication? These are best friends since they were five years old and spouses! I can't imagine keeping something like that from the people closest to me and who it affects the most. In a close relationship, romantic or otherwise, have a conversation. I am so tired of this trope, not just in romance but in women's fiction as well. Sneaking around stealing envelopes and lying about keeping your resolution is just juvenile and ridiculous. And it turned out in the end it was all for nothing because they all lied about it anyway! I don't understand the whole point of it then. Maybe I'm too dumb or getting crotchety in my old age (58 in July).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
March 10, 2024
Just an okay read for me. I thought the premise was interesting - friends writing down their secrets over New Years and of course the wrong people end up reading them. Lots of lies and misunderstandings ensue. Told from multiple POVS, each character had different life and relationship problems to deal with but there wasn't much of an outstanding, blow me away romance. Okay on audio and recommended for fans of authors like Portia MacIntosh.
Steam level: kissing only/closed door
Steam level: kissing only/closed door
July 15, 2024
i expected more drama than it actually had but georgie and raf were adorable so that kind of made for it ig
May 12, 2024
***TRIGGER WARNING: lots of mentions of vomit and vomiting***
First of all, I did think the synopsis sounded interesting. 30-something friends getting drunk at a pub and creating New Year's resolutions before revealing them in a year. My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to give the book a go.
Second of all, I did like the pub atmosphere, and that was well written.
On to the rest....
The characters were not well fleshed out. I immediately thought Georgie was immature and didn't like her chapters.
I am a person who has a neurological disability in which vomiting is a symptom something is seriously wrong, and I didn't like that in this book there was too much trivial talk of, and joking aound, vomit and vomiting (although it was related to a different cause). It was not appropriate and put me off the book even more. It could, and should have, been left out.
I wanted to like Raf, and did, but I felt I wanted to know him more but never did. Some things he did were romantic. Their romance was overall not romantic, or visual, enough for me. I liked his mother and the questions she asked. They were realistic. I'd have liked to have seen more of her.
Poppy was a favourite character of mine. I really liked Ankita (and her clothing style) and Beth, and don't understand why they didn't have theit own chapters too. They were in the pub scenes, yet only mentioned or appeared incredibly randomly. If you have a group of friends, you give each character their chapters in the book, This may as well just have been about Poppy, Georgie and Raf.
The pacing lagged immensely, and the writing style did not grip me. The book was too dialogue-laden and the dialogue washed over me and did not hold my interest except when about the pub scenes, Poppy, Ankita or Beth
I wanted more about the mothering side of life in Georgie's and Poppy's chapters. Poppy and Declan's scenes were interesting.
There was the fact that Poppy and Declan were GPs/family doctors. Some aspects of their jobs were hinted at, but I wanted to learn more.
Overall, Can You Keep a Secret? wasn't for me. I thought it would be a DNF, but I was wanting to find out what became of the New Year's Resolutions in the end. I think though that the "secrets" part of the plot was a little too far fetched, especially given the age (thirties) of the characters. I would have expected that more of teenagers.
Thanks to Jo Lovett, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
2 stars.
First of all, I did think the synopsis sounded interesting. 30-something friends getting drunk at a pub and creating New Year's resolutions before revealing them in a year. My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to give the book a go.
Second of all, I did like the pub atmosphere, and that was well written.
On to the rest....
The characters were not well fleshed out. I immediately thought Georgie was immature and didn't like her chapters.
I am a person who has a neurological disability in which vomiting is a symptom something is seriously wrong, and I didn't like that in this book there was too much trivial talk of, and joking aound, vomit and vomiting (although it was related to a different cause). It was not appropriate and put me off the book even more. It could, and should have, been left out.
I wanted to like Raf, and did, but I felt I wanted to know him more but never did. Some things he did were romantic. Their romance was overall not romantic, or visual, enough for me. I liked his mother and the questions she asked. They were realistic. I'd have liked to have seen more of her.
Poppy was a favourite character of mine. I really liked Ankita (and her clothing style) and Beth, and don't understand why they didn't have theit own chapters too. They were in the pub scenes, yet only mentioned or appeared incredibly randomly. If you have a group of friends, you give each character their chapters in the book, This may as well just have been about Poppy, Georgie and Raf.
The pacing lagged immensely, and the writing style did not grip me. The book was too dialogue-laden and the dialogue washed over me and did not hold my interest except when about the pub scenes, Poppy, Ankita or Beth
I wanted more about the mothering side of life in Georgie's and Poppy's chapters. Poppy and Declan's scenes were interesting.
There was the fact that Poppy and Declan were GPs/family doctors. Some aspects of their jobs were hinted at, but I wanted to learn more.
Overall, Can You Keep a Secret? wasn't for me. I thought it would be a DNF, but I was wanting to find out what became of the New Year's Resolutions in the end. I think though that the "secrets" part of the plot was a little too far fetched, especially given the age (thirties) of the characters. I would have expected that more of teenagers.
Thanks to Jo Lovett, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
2 stars.
April 24, 2024
Indulge in the intoxicating world of romance with this mesmerizing novel that will sweep you off your feet from the very first page. With its spellbinding narrative and richly drawn characters, this book invites readers on an unforgettable journey through the twists and turns of love.
From the electric chemistry between the protagonists to the tender moments of vulnerability, every aspect of this story is woven together with precision and passion. Whether you're a hopeless romantic or simply in search of an escape into a world of emotions, this novel promises an experience that will linger in your heart long after you've turned the final page.
From the electric chemistry between the protagonists to the tender moments of vulnerability, every aspect of this story is woven together with precision and passion. Whether you're a hopeless romantic or simply in search of an escape into a world of emotions, this novel promises an experience that will linger in your heart long after you've turned the final page.
October 27, 2024
the only reason i kept reading this book was because I was desperate to find out what the secret was, and ngl, the secret was kinda juicy and good!!! way too many characters though, and im p sure the writer got confused too bc it was a chapter in another character's pov but the wrong name was written? i cant rememeber the quote and this book really isnt worth it to go find it. there were some good parts like Georgie's mum hating her and i was expecting the bok to explore that more, but the whole situation was set up and then never further discussed. yeah it was just such a meh book, 40 year old mums would love this while they're sunbathing in Tenerife though!!!
March 4, 2024
I won't lie, I didn't know what to truly expect from this book after also seeing the reviews but I was pleasantly surprised.
We have 4 childhood best friends and their partners/new friends all together for New Year's Eve, and they decided it was a good idea to write down some resolutions for the new year, but with a twist. Each would also write a secret they're keeping from all the other friends and they would mail it to each other. If, at the end of the year, someone hadn't fulfilled their resolutions, they would have to share their secret. What could possibly go wrong?
I have to say, there were definitely things that threw me off a bit so I thought I'd start with that this time:
- I don't understand why we only have 2 POV's when this is supposedly about the 4 best friends. And they're still written in 3rd person as well...
- Some of the stuff happening in this book was a tad bit childish. I sometimes had trouble remembering these characters were all in their 30's, some almost 40.
- Come on! These are your best friends? From childhood? Why are you keeping these little secrets from them??? Seriously, only one of them was understandable to be made a secret for a bit while working things out. Everything else is simply things you talk to your friends like right away...
- And I don't like that we didn't get more information about the other 2 friends btw...
Anyhow, with that out of the way. Everything else was great. I definitely liked the plot, and the characters. I enjoyed following along 2 love stories and the issues between them. I thought that some resolutions where hilariously stupid and prone to fail. But most importantly, I liked how real this ended up being. These are 30' years olds, struggling through life and through some situations, making resolutions 70% impossible to keep with their busy lives and stumbling through life trying to navigate it correctly. And that's realistic. And I like it.
Raf was a sweetheart tho a tad childish as well sometimes, but I loved him.
Georgie is adorable. Even with all her issues she's still constantly putting everyone else above her and trying to help them. Bless.
Declan, omg, doctor!!!! He's really sweet too. Clearly with some edges as well, because they all do but genuinely husband goals (except well... one small problem with lack of communication).
Poppy, omg. She's so strong. Genuinely don't know how she didn't completely lose it but I'm so happy everything worked out. She deserves all the happiness.
I liked the other friends too, just wish we could've followed and known more about them as well.
It was genuinely a good book. Not my favorite, obviously, but I had fun reading it and I liked it. I'd definitely read it again if I could turn back time and still knew what this was truly about. Imperfections be dammed.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🩷
We have 4 childhood best friends and their partners/new friends all together for New Year's Eve, and they decided it was a good idea to write down some resolutions for the new year, but with a twist. Each would also write a secret they're keeping from all the other friends and they would mail it to each other. If, at the end of the year, someone hadn't fulfilled their resolutions, they would have to share their secret. What could possibly go wrong?
I have to say, there were definitely things that threw me off a bit so I thought I'd start with that this time:
- I don't understand why we only have 2 POV's when this is supposedly about the 4 best friends. And they're still written in 3rd person as well...
- Some of the stuff happening in this book was a tad bit childish. I sometimes had trouble remembering these characters were all in their 30's, some almost 40.
- Come on! These are your best friends? From childhood? Why are you keeping these little secrets from them??? Seriously, only one of them was understandable to be made a secret for a bit while working things out. Everything else is simply things you talk to your friends like right away...
- And I don't like that we didn't get more information about the other 2 friends btw...
Anyhow, with that out of the way. Everything else was great. I definitely liked the plot, and the characters. I enjoyed following along 2 love stories and the issues between them. I thought that some resolutions where hilariously stupid and prone to fail. But most importantly, I liked how real this ended up being. These are 30' years olds, struggling through life and through some situations, making resolutions 70% impossible to keep with their busy lives and stumbling through life trying to navigate it correctly. And that's realistic. And I like it.
Raf was a sweetheart tho a tad childish as well sometimes, but I loved him.
Georgie is adorable. Even with all her issues she's still constantly putting everyone else above her and trying to help them. Bless.
Declan, omg, doctor!!!! He's really sweet too. Clearly with some edges as well, because they all do but genuinely husband goals (except well... one small problem with lack of communication).
Poppy, omg. She's so strong. Genuinely don't know how she didn't completely lose it but I'm so happy everything worked out. She deserves all the happiness.
I liked the other friends too, just wish we could've followed and known more about them as well.
It was genuinely a good book. Not my favorite, obviously, but I had fun reading it and I liked it. I'd definitely read it again if I could turn back time and still knew what this was truly about. Imperfections be dammed.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🩷
August 1, 2025
On New Year’s Eve, a group of friends makes a pact to stick to their resolutions,but with a twist. Each person writes down their biggest secret, and if they fail to keep their resolution by next year, their secret will be revealed to the group.
It’s all fun and games… until Georgie realizes she was way too drunk when she wrote hers. Not only did she jot down a secret that could ruin their friendships forever, but she also gave herself an impossible list of resolutions.
The story follows Georgie’s hilarious attempts to steal back her list and prevent her secret from coming out. Meanwhile, the friend group is unraveling—friendships shifting, feelings forming (and crumbling), and plenty of messy-but-endearing drama. It’s chaotic in the best way: funny, heartwarming, and proof that most problems could be solved if people just freaking talked to each other!
It’s all fun and games… until Georgie realizes she was way too drunk when she wrote hers. Not only did she jot down a secret that could ruin their friendships forever, but she also gave herself an impossible list of resolutions.
The story follows Georgie’s hilarious attempts to steal back her list and prevent her secret from coming out. Meanwhile, the friend group is unraveling—friendships shifting, feelings forming (and crumbling), and plenty of messy-but-endearing drama. It’s chaotic in the best way: funny, heartwarming, and proof that most problems could be solved if people just freaking talked to each other!
April 27, 2024
Yet another sweet tale from the wonderful Jo Lovett~
The story follows a group of friends who spontaneously decide to set themselves New Years Resolutions one year, but there's a catch: anyone who's unable to fulfill their resolutions would be forced to share their most scandalous secret.. at the next New Years party.
-
I honestly found both women's tales equally fascinating and entertaining to read about - although Ralph had a lil piece of my heart with his natural charm and funny antics 💖 (you can't tell me he wasn't SMITTEN from the very beginning?!)
Looking forward to reading more books from Jo Lovett in the future~
Rating: 3.75/5
— thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC
The story follows a group of friends who spontaneously decide to set themselves New Years Resolutions one year, but there's a catch: anyone who's unable to fulfill their resolutions would be forced to share their most scandalous secret.. at the next New Years party.
-
I honestly found both women's tales equally fascinating and entertaining to read about - although Ralph had a lil piece of my heart with his natural charm and funny antics 💖 (you can't tell me he wasn't SMITTEN from the very beginning?!)
Looking forward to reading more books from Jo Lovett in the future~
Rating: 3.75/5
— thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC
April 6, 2025
I really liked the fact that the readers didn’t know the secret either. The love story’s were great I was kicking my feet at multiple times of the book. But there were SO many characters that I was mostly confused and it took me about half the book to figure out who is who.
I was kind of disappointed that in the end the whole plot of the book, just didn’t get finished ? The reader low-key waits till the resolutions and secrets get exposed and then they just don’t. That could have been better solved and made into a character growth kind of moment or something. All in all it was a really nice book just the right balance of drama and romance!
I was kind of disappointed that in the end the whole plot of the book, just didn’t get finished ? The reader low-key waits till the resolutions and secrets get exposed and then they just don’t. That could have been better solved and made into a character growth kind of moment or something. All in all it was a really nice book just the right balance of drama and romance!
August 23, 2024
This book had potential to be an enjoyable rom-com with a few twists and secrets - but it disappointed. The story was a mess, so much back and forth and internal dialogue about the same thing over and over, and lots of open threads of random plot lines that weren’t necessary and also not resolved.. It felt like the author was trying to pad out chapters by banging on about the same thoughts and issues over and over, instead of progressing the story… in the first few chapters “Poppy just needed time to think…. She just needed to think…… Poppy just needed time to think” this went on and on, instead of moving along with the issue of what poppy needed to think about!
Mostly, the main characters were irritating. Georgie was selfish and immature, making terrible choices about how to handle her secret and get it back, and focusing on the envelope with the secret instead of finding the truth as a priority (for her son!!!!) and then thinking it was a smart idea to sneak around through Raf’s things then “oops sorry! Silly me I got caught”. Like she held no personal accountability. Continually behaving poorly towards Raf yet he forgives and forgets!?
Then Poppy, was selfish and immature and irrational in being upset and “SO hurt”, by something really not worthy of her level of reaction and the behaviour that followed. But everyone just tip toed around her!!
Then these random add ins like Ankita and Noah, (huh? was that necessary?) then Noah and Beth, (when did Beth ditch the other guy?), then the neglecting parents story line.
Sigh, all of it was just too much.
Mostly, the main characters were irritating. Georgie was selfish and immature, making terrible choices about how to handle her secret and get it back, and focusing on the envelope with the secret instead of finding the truth as a priority (for her son!!!!) and then thinking it was a smart idea to sneak around through Raf’s things then “oops sorry! Silly me I got caught”. Like she held no personal accountability. Continually behaving poorly towards Raf yet he forgives and forgets!?
Then Poppy, was selfish and immature and irrational in being upset and “SO hurt”, by something really not worthy of her level of reaction and the behaviour that followed. But everyone just tip toed around her!!
Then these random add ins like Ankita and Noah, (huh? was that necessary?) then Noah and Beth, (when did Beth ditch the other guy?), then the neglecting parents story line.
Sigh, all of it was just too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2025
Such a horrible storyline, it’s all over the place. Really hard to read and sometimes it just misses big parts, because it tries to cram too many people and their stories into it.
I really didn’t like all the lying to each other, come on grow up people.
I really didn’t like all the lying to each other, come on grow up people.
March 7, 2024
Excellent audio narration made up for some problematic and dated tropes.
March 26, 2024
I enjoyed this one!!
December 19, 2024
I havent read light rom-com book for a long time. It feels super light, and fast. It’s okay and suit for some heavy-moment in life.
May 30, 2024
3.5 rounded up
RTC
RTC
November 16, 2024
3.5 stars I despise when romance books end in a cheesy proposal please stop
November 21, 2024
It is a 2.5 star read at its best. The storyline was pretty average at its best and you can give it a pass.
August 25, 2024
predictable
Enjoyed (mostly) up to about 60% of the way through then it just got silly. Too many things happening and predictable. Finished it but found I was reluctant to pick it up to read.
Enjoyed (mostly) up to about 60% of the way through then it just got silly. Too many things happening and predictable. Finished it but found I was reluctant to pick it up to read.
March 5, 2025
Liked the plot twist but not the character exploration. I also didn’t like George. Kinda annoying to me. I read a review before reading this book and one of it said too much vomiting and it was true. I counted and it was mentioned more than 5 times. Also, the book often mentioned about loo and holding a bladder(so hard near explosion). The reason I kept going is bc i want poppy to be happy in somewhat way…
July 2, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Four best friends make New Year's resolutions together and promise to hold each other accountable. Their punishment if they don't follow through with them? A secret of their choosing that they've marked safely in an envelope will be revealed to the group in a year's time. The idea is cute, and the best friend group is fun and semi-relatable. But overall, this read fell a little flat for me.
It seemed odd to me that while there are four main best friend characters, we only get chapters from two of their POVs. I would've rather had all four or just one narrator. It felt very much like the Georgie and Poppy show - which I did enjoy. But it felt disjointed when Beth and Ankita would join in randomly in the story. As well as the men characters. This was a big distraction for me while reading & it kept me a bit distanced from the story.
Overall, this is a cute and quick read focused around friendships and how important they are, especially as you get older and life changes.
Four best friends make New Year's resolutions together and promise to hold each other accountable. Their punishment if they don't follow through with them? A secret of their choosing that they've marked safely in an envelope will be revealed to the group in a year's time. The idea is cute, and the best friend group is fun and semi-relatable. But overall, this read fell a little flat for me.
It seemed odd to me that while there are four main best friend characters, we only get chapters from two of their POVs. I would've rather had all four or just one narrator. It felt very much like the Georgie and Poppy show - which I did enjoy. But it felt disjointed when Beth and Ankita would join in randomly in the story. As well as the men characters. This was a big distraction for me while reading & it kept me a bit distanced from the story.
Overall, this is a cute and quick read focused around friendships and how important they are, especially as you get older and life changes.
July 19, 2024
I found Poppy annoying. I didn’t see why the “big secret” was so awful and she was kind of an annoying whiner. And I’ve been a ppd/overwhelmed and alone Mama. It seemed like as a GP she should have realized she needed help or meds or something.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
Who doesn’t love a book about 30-something’s having the communication skills of actual teenagers? Me. That’s who.
March 6, 2024
A delightful and heartwarming romantic comedy, “Can You Keep A Secret?” by Jo Lovett weaves together friendship, secrets, and the complexities of human relationships. This book is a warm reminder that sometimes, the best secrets are the ones we share with the people who truly matter.
Lovett invites readers into the lives of a group of friends who embark on a unique New Year's Eve tradition that involves writing down their deepest secrets, sealing them in envelopes, and exchanging them. The catch? These secrets will be revealed at the end of the year if they fail to keep their resolutions.
The protagonist, Georgie James, finds herself in a precarious situation when she writes down a secret that could potentially shatter her friendships. Lovett masterfully captures the essence of vulnerability and the fear of exposure. Georgie's secret is BIG, and the stakes are high. As the clock ticks, she grapples with regret, uncertainty, and the desperate need to retrieve her envelope before anyone else can open it.
The novel's strength lies in its relatable characters. Georgie and her friends are flawed, genuine, and endearing. Lovett skillfully portrays their insecurities, dreams, and the messy dynamics of their relationships. The banter between the characters is witty, and their camaraderie feels authentic. As readers, we become invested in their lives, cheering for their growth and hoping they find happiness.
The romance element adds an extra layer of charm. Enter Raf, the newcomer who unwittingly becomes entangled in Georgie's secret. Their interactions are both hilarious and heartwarming. Raf is more than just a love interest; he's a catalyst for Georgie's self-discovery. Lovett avoids clichés and instead explores the complexities of attraction, vulnerability, and the courage to reveal one's true self.
The pacing is spot-on, with each chapter leaving you eager for the next revelation. As the secrets unfold, the tension builds, and you'll find yourself flipping pages late into the night. Lovett's writing is accessible, peppered with humour and poignant moments. She captures the essence of friendship: the unspoken bonds, the shared laughter, and the unwavering support.
While the premise is light-hearted, the underlying themes resonate deeply. Georgie's struggle with body image, self-worth, and the fear of judgment is relatable. Lovett doesn't shy away from portraying the messiness of life; some problems remain unresolved, and not everything magically falls into place. Toxic relationships, insecurities, and the quest for acceptance are explored with sensitivity.
A refreshing addition to the romantic comedy genre, “Can You Keep A Secret?” is not just about romance; it's about friendship, growth, and the courage to confront our inner demons. Lovett's storytelling is comforting, genuine, and filled with hope. This book will leave you smiling and believing in the power of secrets, resolutions, and unexpected love.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Lovett invites readers into the lives of a group of friends who embark on a unique New Year's Eve tradition that involves writing down their deepest secrets, sealing them in envelopes, and exchanging them. The catch? These secrets will be revealed at the end of the year if they fail to keep their resolutions.
The protagonist, Georgie James, finds herself in a precarious situation when she writes down a secret that could potentially shatter her friendships. Lovett masterfully captures the essence of vulnerability and the fear of exposure. Georgie's secret is BIG, and the stakes are high. As the clock ticks, she grapples with regret, uncertainty, and the desperate need to retrieve her envelope before anyone else can open it.
The novel's strength lies in its relatable characters. Georgie and her friends are flawed, genuine, and endearing. Lovett skillfully portrays their insecurities, dreams, and the messy dynamics of their relationships. The banter between the characters is witty, and their camaraderie feels authentic. As readers, we become invested in their lives, cheering for their growth and hoping they find happiness.
The romance element adds an extra layer of charm. Enter Raf, the newcomer who unwittingly becomes entangled in Georgie's secret. Their interactions are both hilarious and heartwarming. Raf is more than just a love interest; he's a catalyst for Georgie's self-discovery. Lovett avoids clichés and instead explores the complexities of attraction, vulnerability, and the courage to reveal one's true self.
The pacing is spot-on, with each chapter leaving you eager for the next revelation. As the secrets unfold, the tension builds, and you'll find yourself flipping pages late into the night. Lovett's writing is accessible, peppered with humour and poignant moments. She captures the essence of friendship: the unspoken bonds, the shared laughter, and the unwavering support.
While the premise is light-hearted, the underlying themes resonate deeply. Georgie's struggle with body image, self-worth, and the fear of judgment is relatable. Lovett doesn't shy away from portraying the messiness of life; some problems remain unresolved, and not everything magically falls into place. Toxic relationships, insecurities, and the quest for acceptance are explored with sensitivity.
A refreshing addition to the romantic comedy genre, “Can You Keep A Secret?” is not just about romance; it's about friendship, growth, and the courage to confront our inner demons. Lovett's storytelling is comforting, genuine, and filled with hope. This book will leave you smiling and believing in the power of secrets, resolutions, and unexpected love.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 16, 2024
In current-day England, Georgie and her friend group decide to participate in a New Year's resolution challenge- they must complete their resolutions or face the consequences of sharing a HUGE secret with the rest of the group. The secret that Georgie has decided to put on the line isn't really hers to share; so, when she realizes she won't be able to keep up with her resolutions, she has to cozy up to Raf, the keeper of her secret. But, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to their 'friendship'.
Firstly, I had very high hopes for this book. I thought it would be more of a rom-com than it was, and I guess that might be on me for not researching in-depth before reading. I wanted to like Georgie, but she seemed like the type of mother to pawn her son off onto a nanny to go to the pub with her friends. I don't like her as a character, even though I'm supposed to. She seems like a lazy parent and a bad friend.
Secondly, I don't like that there is a secondary sotryline that basically adds nothing to the plot. The storyline of Georgie's secret, which involves Poppy and her husband, is seemingly swept under the rug with little-to-no conflict. I wanted there to be an "i'll love you no matter what" scene, but everybody was just okay with Georgie's mistake, and nothing happened to Poppy in the end, so it wasn't like anything really changed.
Lastly, I don't buy Georgie's romance. I'm supposed to love her love because that's the main focus of the story, but my ♡ felt nothing while reading. Not a longing for them to be together, not an attraction to Raf, not anything. This could be for a few reasons: 1) the introduction of the secondary storyline makes it difficult to create a relationship to the main characters. 2) there were a lot of words, but not a lot of description. I don't know what Raf or Georgie look like, what they wear, how her eyes crinkle when she smiles or how he smells, all I know is that she thinks he's really hot, which is mentioned several times– give me some nuance.
Overall, I wanted to love this book so so much. In the end, it fell short for me. Not enough nuance or conflcit. If you're thinking about reading this book, do yourself a favor and save yourslef the time. Pick up almost literally anything else.
Firstly, I had very high hopes for this book. I thought it would be more of a rom-com than it was, and I guess that might be on me for not researching in-depth before reading. I wanted to like Georgie, but she seemed like the type of mother to pawn her son off onto a nanny to go to the pub with her friends. I don't like her as a character, even though I'm supposed to. She seems like a lazy parent and a bad friend.
Secondly, I don't like that there is a secondary sotryline that basically adds nothing to the plot. The storyline of Georgie's secret, which involves Poppy and her husband, is seemingly swept under the rug with little-to-no conflict. I wanted there to be an "i'll love you no matter what" scene, but everybody was just okay with Georgie's mistake, and nothing happened to Poppy in the end, so it wasn't like anything really changed.
Lastly, I don't buy Georgie's romance. I'm supposed to love her love because that's the main focus of the story, but my ♡ felt nothing while reading. Not a longing for them to be together, not an attraction to Raf, not anything. This could be for a few reasons: 1) the introduction of the secondary storyline makes it difficult to create a relationship to the main characters. 2) there were a lot of words, but not a lot of description. I don't know what Raf or Georgie look like, what they wear, how her eyes crinkle when she smiles or how he smells, all I know is that she thinks he's really hot, which is mentioned several times– give me some nuance.
Overall, I wanted to love this book so so much. In the end, it fell short for me. Not enough nuance or conflcit. If you're thinking about reading this book, do yourself a favor and save yourslef the time. Pick up almost literally anything else.
March 13, 2024
[I do not understand why Goodreads does not give the audiobook option for the version read for so many books that are audiobooks! I listened to this one.]
There are other books with the same title, "Can You Keep a Secret?" but the one I just read and am reviewing now is by Jo Lovett. I was disappointed after reading some blurbs about it, but my view goes along with most other reviews. It was mediocre, at best. I liked the idea behind the book, but execution was not great, and the secrets were mostly underwhelming, other than one big secret that disrupted multiple lives. What secrets, you ask? let me go back a bit. A group of thirty somethings, some married, some not, some with children, some not are all good friends and one drunken night in a local pub decide they need to make resolutions to do better in their lives. We all know that resolutions are easily made but rarely are they maintained. The group decided to keep themselves from failing by each writing a deep, dark secret about themselves, and if they fail to follow through on their personal resolution, they have to share their secret a year later. The secrets are in sealed envelopes and sent to different people for safe keeping. Ah, but we all know that envelopes can be steamed open, and thus, a major secret leaks out and lives are upended. Relationships falter, marriage seems to come apart, and no one is happy anymore! Most of the book deals with the fallout of that secret, the crest fallen characters who are somehow involved or suffering the ramifications of the secret, and the angst of them all. I found it hard to keep track of the characters, at times, but that may be because I listened to the audiobook, and perhaps, because I was not fully invested in the characters. I wanted to know how it would all play out and what would happen a year later when all the secrets were revealed, so I kept going. The ending was satisfying, but I was perfectly content to be done and to download my next audiobook.
There are other books with the same title, "Can You Keep a Secret?" but the one I just read and am reviewing now is by Jo Lovett. I was disappointed after reading some blurbs about it, but my view goes along with most other reviews. It was mediocre, at best. I liked the idea behind the book, but execution was not great, and the secrets were mostly underwhelming, other than one big secret that disrupted multiple lives. What secrets, you ask? let me go back a bit. A group of thirty somethings, some married, some not, some with children, some not are all good friends and one drunken night in a local pub decide they need to make resolutions to do better in their lives. We all know that resolutions are easily made but rarely are they maintained. The group decided to keep themselves from failing by each writing a deep, dark secret about themselves, and if they fail to follow through on their personal resolution, they have to share their secret a year later. The secrets are in sealed envelopes and sent to different people for safe keeping. Ah, but we all know that envelopes can be steamed open, and thus, a major secret leaks out and lives are upended. Relationships falter, marriage seems to come apart, and no one is happy anymore! Most of the book deals with the fallout of that secret, the crest fallen characters who are somehow involved or suffering the ramifications of the secret, and the angst of them all. I found it hard to keep track of the characters, at times, but that may be because I listened to the audiobook, and perhaps, because I was not fully invested in the characters. I wanted to know how it would all play out and what would happen a year later when all the secrets were revealed, so I kept going. The ending was satisfying, but I was perfectly content to be done and to download my next audiobook.
August 8, 2024
Easy to listen to while running errands and cleaning house.
Narration was good.
It is such a familiar premise tho…overdone.
Group of girlfriends who have been friends forever until secrets could tear them apart
All the friends are so different from each other.
Mainly focused on Poppy and Georgia with the other 2 friends hardly dealt with or always from just a mention.
Didn’t really understand WHY they were all friends…not really explained except for P and G.
Love interest Raf was at least unique being a fringe friend and widower.
It was hard to understand the proximity of all the characters. They seemed to get together a lot at a pub, but they didn’t really live close to each other?
All the references to towns and places didn’t mean much to me since I’m not familiar with Great Britain geography.
The MCs cried a lot! They also had inner thoughts about men equivalent to what teenagers might experience-…thought I would explode if he brushed against me—his eyes were dreamy—etc.
As adults who were all friends they sure had A LOT trouble talking honestly with each other.
Towards the end the inner stressed out monologue of P and G was very repetitive…
On to a book that is NOT about strong female friendships being put to the test!
I had to slow down narration to hear name of town the story centered around d-closest I could make out was “Melting Bishop”??
In chapter 2…
“Georgie hadn’t appreciated how chocolate box perfect Melting Bishop was…all the houses were 18th and 19th century honey colored Cotswold stone…”
Below sentence copied directly from the website: adragonsescape.com
Cotswold village is painted in honey-coloured hues and offers chocolate-box perfection.
I found this while trying to find the book referenced village- author copied from website?? Or maybe these are common phrases.
Narration was good.
It is such a familiar premise tho…overdone.
Group of girlfriends who have been friends forever until secrets could tear them apart
All the friends are so different from each other.
Mainly focused on Poppy and Georgia with the other 2 friends hardly dealt with or always from just a mention.
Didn’t really understand WHY they were all friends…not really explained except for P and G.
Love interest Raf was at least unique being a fringe friend and widower.
It was hard to understand the proximity of all the characters. They seemed to get together a lot at a pub, but they didn’t really live close to each other?
All the references to towns and places didn’t mean much to me since I’m not familiar with Great Britain geography.
The MCs cried a lot! They also had inner thoughts about men equivalent to what teenagers might experience-…thought I would explode if he brushed against me—his eyes were dreamy—etc.
As adults who were all friends they sure had A LOT trouble talking honestly with each other.
Towards the end the inner stressed out monologue of P and G was very repetitive…
On to a book that is NOT about strong female friendships being put to the test!
I had to slow down narration to hear name of town the story centered around d-closest I could make out was “Melting Bishop”??
In chapter 2…
“Georgie hadn’t appreciated how chocolate box perfect Melting Bishop was…all the houses were 18th and 19th century honey colored Cotswold stone…”
Below sentence copied directly from the website: adragonsescape.com
Cotswold village is painted in honey-coloured hues and offers chocolate-box perfection.
I found this while trying to find the book referenced village- author copied from website?? Or maybe these are common phrases.
October 3, 2025
2.5 stars rounded down
It’s New Year’s Eve, Georgie and her friends are making their resolutions. They decide that in order to make them stick to their resolutions they also have to write down a secret and post it to someone else in the group. If at the next new year, you haven’t completed your resolutions, your secret is read out.
I’ll preface this by saying I’m not normally a fan of romance books. I read them as a palette cleanser in between my usual crime/thriller books. But two-thirds through the book, it turns from typical romance to a bit of a drama which I much enjoyed.
The first few chapters feel quite expositional and a lot of characters are introduced making it a hard to keep up. The book is also split POV with Georgie and Poppy which made it a bit harder.
I wasn’t a fan of the switch between third, second and first person, it made it quite confusing at first.
I found the whole concept a bit over blown. There is a lot of amping up for the secrets and I was expecting something life changing with all this hype.
The romance between Georgie and Raf feels very convoluted. Raf has Georgie’s secret. Raf hurt his hand. Georgie pretends to care about his hand as a way to get close to him so she can get her secret back. Then they’re falling in love. Then drama happens. Then they’re in love again.
We find out Georgie’s secret about two thirds of the way through and I was really disappointed. It is very shocking but I was annoyed that that was the secret. It also seemed a very immature way to handle the situation from everyone involved.
A lot of the female characters seem the same. There’s nothing to really differentiate anything between Georgie and her friend group apart from Ankita who is described as svelte and always polished.
Overall I was disappointed with the book. It’s a good idea but just didn’t land for me.
It’s New Year’s Eve, Georgie and her friends are making their resolutions. They decide that in order to make them stick to their resolutions they also have to write down a secret and post it to someone else in the group. If at the next new year, you haven’t completed your resolutions, your secret is read out.
I’ll preface this by saying I’m not normally a fan of romance books. I read them as a palette cleanser in between my usual crime/thriller books. But two-thirds through the book, it turns from typical romance to a bit of a drama which I much enjoyed.
The first few chapters feel quite expositional and a lot of characters are introduced making it a hard to keep up. The book is also split POV with Georgie and Poppy which made it a bit harder.
I wasn’t a fan of the switch between third, second and first person, it made it quite confusing at first.
I found the whole concept a bit over blown. There is a lot of amping up for the secrets and I was expecting something life changing with all this hype.
The romance between Georgie and Raf feels very convoluted. Raf has Georgie’s secret. Raf hurt his hand. Georgie pretends to care about his hand as a way to get close to him so she can get her secret back. Then they’re falling in love. Then drama happens. Then they’re in love again.
We find out Georgie’s secret about two thirds of the way through and I was really disappointed. It is very shocking but I was annoyed that that was the secret. It also seemed a very immature way to handle the situation from everyone involved.
A lot of the female characters seem the same. There’s nothing to really differentiate anything between Georgie and her friend group apart from Ankita who is described as svelte and always polished.
Overall I was disappointed with the book. It’s a good idea but just didn’t land for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2024
The setting of Melting in the Cotswolds sounded breathtaking, I could picture myself living close to the green, everything in walking distance. It had everything you could want in a story love, family, friendship and second chances.
Can You Keep A Secret? by Jo Lovett. What can I say other than I loved it and read in one day. Who doesn’t want to escape to an estate in the country. I have now added the author to my list of RomCom authors I love.
One New Year’s Eve, Georgie James and her friends come up with a genius plan to help them stick to their resolutions… They all write down secrets, seal them in envelopes and then post them to each other. The secrets will be revealed at the end of the year if they haven’t kept their resolutions.
It’s perfect. Except…
I found the characters to be well developed, and multi-dimensional. There were multiple sub-plots of family dynamics Georgie’s as well as Poppy’s new family situation that had you interested in the outcome. I must admit I choked up a bit and was totally invested in Georgie’s and Poppy’s situation and wanting things to work out.
It had me thinking about all the white lies we tell to ourselves and others. Sometimes you can get so caught up in trying not to hurt someone’s feelings that in the end it can be worse than if you told them to begin with.
Also I could relate to Georgie and her feelings of always being second best , not a nice feeling especially when it’s your parents treating you this way.
I’m hoping there could be a follow up book so we could catch up on the characters.
I will definitely read other books by this author.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Boldwood Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Can You Keep A Secret? by Jo Lovett. What can I say other than I loved it and read in one day. Who doesn’t want to escape to an estate in the country. I have now added the author to my list of RomCom authors I love.
One New Year’s Eve, Georgie James and her friends come up with a genius plan to help them stick to their resolutions… They all write down secrets, seal them in envelopes and then post them to each other. The secrets will be revealed at the end of the year if they haven’t kept their resolutions.
It’s perfect. Except…
I found the characters to be well developed, and multi-dimensional. There were multiple sub-plots of family dynamics Georgie’s as well as Poppy’s new family situation that had you interested in the outcome. I must admit I choked up a bit and was totally invested in Georgie’s and Poppy’s situation and wanting things to work out.
It had me thinking about all the white lies we tell to ourselves and others. Sometimes you can get so caught up in trying not to hurt someone’s feelings that in the end it can be worse than if you told them to begin with.
Also I could relate to Georgie and her feelings of always being second best , not a nice feeling especially when it’s your parents treating you this way.
I’m hoping there could be a follow up book so we could catch up on the characters.
I will definitely read other books by this author.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Boldwood Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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