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The Skeleton in My Closet #1
The Skeleton in My Closet Wears a Wedding Dress
Beautiful, young Sophia Davis is confident that her decision to marry Travis will lead her to eternal bliss—but when her new husband abruptly files for divorce, she is completely blindsided. With the whole world falling apart, what’s a nineteen-year-old divorcée to do? The answer for Sophia is simple: she picks up the pieces of her shattered heart and returns to BYU. Hoping for a clean slate, she embarks on her freshman year—again. But this time, Sophia has a skeleton in her closet, and she’ll go to any length to protect her secret. As she reluctantly navigates a world populated by newly returned missionaries, sweet Suzie Homemakers, and serious students, she finds herself turning more and more to her home teacher Luke. As their friendship blossoms, will Sophia allow herself to trust again in the hope of a true happy ending?
252 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2014
2 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
October 31, 2014
Sophia is like a Barbie doll, but she realizes soon after a quick marriage during her freshman year of college, looks don't always keep a man. I haven't ever been in this situation, so I can't exactly relate, but I honestly can't imagine going through what Sophia did--and all by the age of 19. College life is tough, but to add a divorce in the mix has got to be really hard.
Sophia and her situation tugged at my heartstrings. She was thrown into the world of adulthood, but then pulled back into the world of a young adult. Her confidence seems shaken and it's hard to break out of that, especially when she still holds onto hope. I loved watching Sophia gradually open up to trust again.
I thought Luke was a great friend for her and his understanding of her and her situation was priceless. What a great guy! He's one of my favorite characters.
Sophia's roommates? Wow. One of them was especially bad, but I think the others could have been extremely supportive, had they known what was going on. I think too often, we're quick to decide how others will feel and react to situations without giving them a chance to prove our thoughts wrong. It's the natural human way.
I really enjoyed the growth the characters went through and it was fun to be taken back to my college years.
Content: clean.
Sophia and her situation tugged at my heartstrings. She was thrown into the world of adulthood, but then pulled back into the world of a young adult. Her confidence seems shaken and it's hard to break out of that, especially when she still holds onto hope. I loved watching Sophia gradually open up to trust again.
I thought Luke was a great friend for her and his understanding of her and her situation was priceless. What a great guy! He's one of my favorite characters.
Sophia's roommates? Wow. One of them was especially bad, but I think the others could have been extremely supportive, had they known what was going on. I think too often, we're quick to decide how others will feel and react to situations without giving them a chance to prove our thoughts wrong. It's the natural human way.
I really enjoyed the growth the characters went through and it was fun to be taken back to my college years.
Content: clean.
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March 2, 2023SUCH A CUTE COVER! Right?! So, I really love contemporary LDS fiction books that discuss difficult subjects. I love that author's and publisher's (of LDS fictions) or publishing books that talk about real-world situations!
In some ways, the tone of this book reminded me of Mile 21 by Sarah Dunster. The MC, Sophia 19, is just returning to BYU after a messy divorce. I think, the author did a great job conveying the MC's depression after returning to school (BYU)... From the ward activities, to her roommates, to dealing with her own feelings in therapy, the author created. a realistic picture of what life would be like for a 19 year-old divorcee.
I liked getting a chance to visit BYU again. So fun! I enjoyed reading about a non-traditional student at BYU. Because Sophia is going through such a hard time, it would be easy to get bogged down in the sadness of her situation (because it is sad) but, the the MC's voice was sarcastic and funny and made the story feel light. There were few parts of this book that took my by surprise too!
In some ways, the tone of this book reminded me of Mile 21 by Sarah Dunster. The MC, Sophia 19, is just returning to BYU after a messy divorce. I think, the author did a great job conveying the MC's depression after returning to school (BYU)... From the ward activities, to her roommates, to dealing with her own feelings in therapy, the author created. a realistic picture of what life would be like for a 19 year-old divorcee.
I liked getting a chance to visit BYU again. So fun! I enjoyed reading about a non-traditional student at BYU. Because Sophia is going through such a hard time, it would be easy to get bogged down in the sadness of her situation (because it is sad) but, the the MC's voice was sarcastic and funny and made the story feel light. There were few parts of this book that took my by surprise too!
June 26, 2015
I actually read the 2nd book in the series first and liked it well enough to go back and read the first book. Enjoyable story.
LDS fiction - by no means preachy but the characters are LDS and attending BYU so there are LDS elements to the story.
Content: Clean
LDS fiction - by no means preachy but the characters are LDS and attending BYU so there are LDS elements to the story.
Content: Clean
January 23, 2015
This was a fun romantic comedy for me to read. The main character, Sophia, is struggling with depression and self-worth. Her whirl-wind romance and marriage of four months ended in divorce and she is trying to figure out what happened and slowly move on with her life.
The roommates and neighboring apartment of men are wonderful characters to help Sophia pull out of her rut. In their own unique way they provide fun, laughter, or a kick in the pants to help motivate her.
The time frame for this book takes place between Fall to Spring Semester's at BYU. There is a lot of talk of religion and LDS specific values.
In the end this book provided a feeling of hope and the joy of moving away from a bad period in life and putting it behind you.
The roommates and neighboring apartment of men are wonderful characters to help Sophia pull out of her rut. In their own unique way they provide fun, laughter, or a kick in the pants to help motivate her.
The time frame for this book takes place between Fall to Spring Semester's at BYU. There is a lot of talk of religion and LDS specific values.
In the end this book provided a feeling of hope and the joy of moving away from a bad period in life and putting it behind you.
April 28, 2020
Romance, contemporary; Christian/CJCLDS themed
Gorgeous, introspective romance. While some might see this as a YSA young single woman without much going for her (marriage at 18/19) her growth during this novel (although not much educationally mentioned) and her introspection, the help she gives to others and how she learns about herself, and what she wants in her life for her future made this a great read for me. I love honest, hurting characters, the honesty surrounding her mental health issues with her friends and family, confiding in Luke, and showed her flaws, her humanity, the love of her family and her friends, and their support. It isn't a perfect world, but she finds her 'people', her heart home, and herself over the course of the novel. Sophia is a hurting character, that learns to serve and help others, and finds her real love. Perfect read!
Gorgeous, introspective romance. While some might see this as a YSA young single woman without much going for her (marriage at 18/19) her growth during this novel (although not much educationally mentioned) and her introspection, the help she gives to others and how she learns about herself, and what she wants in her life for her future made this a great read for me. I love honest, hurting characters, the honesty surrounding her mental health issues with her friends and family, confiding in Luke, and showed her flaws, her humanity, the love of her family and her friends, and their support. It isn't a perfect world, but she finds her 'people', her heart home, and herself over the course of the novel. Sophia is a hurting character, that learns to serve and help others, and finds her real love. Perfect read!
September 2, 2014
Very interesting premise; young BYU co-ed whose whirlwind romance leaves her a divorcee at the ripe old age of 19. Suffering from serious depression, her mother hauls her back to the Y to get back in the saddle and move on with her life. Enter 3 roomies with very different personalities - that she's trying to hide her secret from and a super cute home teacher.
This is Sophie's story of learning to live again after a terrible heartbreak. I enjoyed the character development Sophie went through and the easy going relationship she developed with Luke. I liked that, though she struggled for a good while, she eventually learned how to move forward. And wanted to. Good supporting characters. And I totally saw the jaw-dropper before it arrived. Aye-yie-yie-yie-yie. That might be the most awkward moment imaginable.
Surprisingly, this doesn't appear to be a stand-alone book. While there was enough resolution that I wasn't ticked at the ending, it certainly didn't feel finished. During my late night web search, I couldn't track down any actual confirmation that there's a sequel, tho it was alluded to. Fingers crossed there's more of this story to come!
This is Sophie's story of learning to live again after a terrible heartbreak. I enjoyed the character development Sophie went through and the easy going relationship she developed with Luke. I liked that, though she struggled for a good while, she eventually learned how to move forward. And wanted to. Good supporting characters. And I totally saw the jaw-dropper before it arrived. Aye-yie-yie-yie-yie. That might be the most awkward moment imaginable.
Surprisingly, this doesn't appear to be a stand-alone book. While there was enough resolution that I wasn't ticked at the ending, it certainly didn't feel finished. During my late night web search, I couldn't track down any actual confirmation that there's a sequel, tho it was alluded to. Fingers crossed there's more of this story to come!
August 14, 2014
I loved loved this book. Easy to read with absolutely believable characters and an unorthodox plot line. Very fun!
September 15, 2015
Cute contemporary romance set on BYU campus in an apartment with 4 very different girls. Sophia has a secret—a terrible one that she wants no one to discover. She’s only 19, but she’s already been married and divorced after 4 months. Sounds like a Hollywood star, doesn’t it? It’s been 8 months since her husband kicked her out and told her he was through. She's trying to get on with her life…but getting out of bed is still extremely hard. Two of her roommates are bubbly and super social…and trying to get her to get out and have fun with them. Her other roommate—Claire—can hardly stand her (but since she’s hardly ever there, it’s not a big deal). But skeletons in the closet seem to always be found eventually…and when Sophia spills her troubles to her hometeacher in the laundry room, she feels a huge burden lifted. Maybe that skeleton wearing a wedding dress in her closet isn’t the worst thing in the world…until the next day comes. This was so funny. At one point, I was snickering hard because the scene tickled my funny bone so much. I haven’t done that in forever. This is a great one! I highly recommend it if you love clean romance and humorous grieving characters. Sounds weird, but probably so did chocolate and peanut butter before Reeses were born. Enough said.
May 10, 2014
LOVE LOVE LOVE THE TITLE!
WHAT A FUN BOOK!
LOTS OF DRAMA!
FUN INTERACTIONS!
GREAT TWISTS!
It's hard to be a BYU freshman AND divorced AND only 19 years old.
But that is just what Sophia is!
She is still in love with her husband and has found herself depressed and angry.
Not a good mix when her roommates, who know nothing about the divorce, set their whole goal at
getting Sophia out of bed, out of her yoga pants, and out there socializing.
Sophia has a plan...
She will be busy doing her laundry on Friday night and unable to make it to the social.
It is in the laundry room, on a Friday night that she comes across Luke, who is also her home teacher.
As they wait for their laundry they begin talking and Sophia finds it easy to talk to Luke...
She will confide in him about:
*Roommate issues
*Family issues
*Even school issues
But can she tell him about her marriage issues?
SO WISH I COULD TELL YOU ABOUT THE TWISTS IN THE STORY :)
You will LOVE this book!
WHAT A FUN BOOK!
LOTS OF DRAMA!
FUN INTERACTIONS!
GREAT TWISTS!
It's hard to be a BYU freshman AND divorced AND only 19 years old.
But that is just what Sophia is!
She is still in love with her husband and has found herself depressed and angry.
Not a good mix when her roommates, who know nothing about the divorce, set their whole goal at
getting Sophia out of bed, out of her yoga pants, and out there socializing.
Sophia has a plan...
She will be busy doing her laundry on Friday night and unable to make it to the social.
It is in the laundry room, on a Friday night that she comes across Luke, who is also her home teacher.
As they wait for their laundry they begin talking and Sophia finds it easy to talk to Luke...
She will confide in him about:
*Roommate issues
*Family issues
*Even school issues
But can she tell him about her marriage issues?
SO WISH I COULD TELL YOU ABOUT THE TWISTS IN THE STORY :)
You will LOVE this book!
January 9, 2016
Couldn't put this one down. I was having flashbacks to my BYU days through the entire thing. The crazy roommates, the ward activities, the dating scene, hiding in the laundry room, trying to get over being completely in love with someone who didn't love me back, and the ward directory. Oh, my goodness, all the feels. I was picturing University Villa, just west of the Brick Oven and some great memories of dating and getting engaged there.
I loved the way Mormon culture and taboos were integrated into the story. The ideas of imperfection and weaknesses needing an intervention and the pressure we all place on ourselves and each other were approached with a bit of humor while making me a bit emotional as well. Yup, we're all a mess but we're doing the best we can.
I wanted another couple of chapters, or a sequel, or something more at the end of the book.
Minimal violence, no swearing, no sex.
I loved the way Mormon culture and taboos were integrated into the story. The ideas of imperfection and weaknesses needing an intervention and the pressure we all place on ourselves and each other were approached with a bit of humor while making me a bit emotional as well. Yup, we're all a mess but we're doing the best we can.
I wanted another couple of chapters, or a sequel, or something more at the end of the book.
Minimal violence, no swearing, no sex.
March 1, 2016
Really cute story. Although it deals with serious subjects (divorce and depression), the humorous and at times sarcastic voice made it a light, enjoyable reading. The character development is very well done, with realistic characters that are flawed and endear themselves to the reader.
The dialogue is witty and natural, and it pulled me in to the situations at hand. The somewhat open end works for the story since the main character is taking it easy on her journey of self-discovery after a traumatic event in her life, learning more about what really matters and the relationships that mean the most.
It's a clean, Christian story with romance elements and a message of hope.
The dialogue is witty and natural, and it pulled me in to the situations at hand. The somewhat open end works for the story since the main character is taking it easy on her journey of self-discovery after a traumatic event in her life, learning more about what really matters and the relationships that mean the most.
It's a clean, Christian story with romance elements and a message of hope.
May 22, 2015
Better than I was expecting. The author has a fun sense of humor and the good sense to know when it is appropriate and when it is not. I did not expect to be able to relate so well to a character who has almost nothing in common with me. I sometimes wish attracting men came half as easily to me as it does to characters in books.
June 20, 2016
I liked, but did not love this book. The premise sounded cute and I was curious. It reminded me of my years as a coed and that was interesting. This could be a light, summer read.
February 1, 2018
A 19 year old freshman at BYU, recently divorced-not your usual LDS romance novel! This book was laid out well. I liked the progression of the story. A few surprises. Fun stuff!
October 8, 2016
I am conflicted about this book. I actually enjoyed reading it but when I finished I was left a little empty. There wasn't a real beginning middle and end to this story. I felt like I read the beginning and was just getting into the middle when the book ended. I know there's a second book but usually each book still has its own structure so it could stand alone if it needed to.
March 7, 2017
I recently read The Skeleton in my closet wears a wedding dress by Sally Johnson. After Sophia Davis’s new husband ends their marriage after a short 4 months she is back at BYU for the second time. As a newly divorced 19 year old Mormon, she is worried how people will take her. As she starts to trust again, Luke comes in as the Night in Shining Armor and sweeps her off her feet. This story is a romance but is also about how to overcome challenges. The moral of the story is that you can overcome difficulties. In the beginning of the book, Sophia doesn’t really interact with anybody because she’s still depressed. Throughout the book she starts to hang out with people more and realizes how happy it makes her. I would recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a good read.
April 10, 2021
An interesting peek into working through a trial bigger than you are.
April 15, 2016
I'm a little embarrassed to admit it has taken me so long to get to this one. You see, the author's mother attends my church and was nice enough to give me a copy a couple years ago. What with having a new baby and three other small kids to take care of I put it on my bookcase and there it sat until I was organizing the other day and realized I never read it! Yikes! I was glad I finally had the chance to sit down and read it. It drew me in from the beginning and I wanted to keep reading to learn more about Sophia and find out her story.
Sophia went to Brigham Young University (BYU) right out of high school, met and fell in love with Travis right away and had a whirlwind courtship and marriage. After only four short months he up and leaves her. When the book starts Sophia has returned to BYU and is trying to get her life back together. She is suffering from depression, but is getting counseling and trying to get back to normal. She's not sure what normal is anymore. Sophia is so young, only nineteen. I feel old saying that, I remember being nineteen and I can only imagine how heartbreaking being divorced so young would be. I did like the growth she goes though, slowly figuring out who she is. I liked her roommates (at least some of them) and of course Luke. I thought he was a nice guy. But, man did this book make me think the BYU dating scene is on steroids. I just wanted to tell everyone to calm down and focus on school and not worry about marriage so much. Hahaha
Overall, I thought this was well written. I think Sophia's situation is a tough one, I would have liked to see her gain more strength and get over it (I hate to say that) a little quicker. As a reader, I would have liked to see her let go sooner, but realize in real life it isn't that easy.
Content
Romance: Squeaky clean
Language: None
Violence: None
Religious: Moderate, not preachy but LDS characters and themes (home teaching, church, family home evening, etc.)
Source: Gift
Sophia went to Brigham Young University (BYU) right out of high school, met and fell in love with Travis right away and had a whirlwind courtship and marriage. After only four short months he up and leaves her. When the book starts Sophia has returned to BYU and is trying to get her life back together. She is suffering from depression, but is getting counseling and trying to get back to normal. She's not sure what normal is anymore. Sophia is so young, only nineteen. I feel old saying that, I remember being nineteen and I can only imagine how heartbreaking being divorced so young would be. I did like the growth she goes though, slowly figuring out who she is. I liked her roommates (at least some of them) and of course Luke. I thought he was a nice guy. But, man did this book make me think the BYU dating scene is on steroids. I just wanted to tell everyone to calm down and focus on school and not worry about marriage so much. Hahaha
Overall, I thought this was well written. I think Sophia's situation is a tough one, I would have liked to see her gain more strength and get over it (I hate to say that) a little quicker. As a reader, I would have liked to see her let go sooner, but realize in real life it isn't that easy.
Content
Romance: Squeaky clean
Language: None
Violence: None
Religious: Moderate, not preachy but LDS characters and themes (home teaching, church, family home evening, etc.)
Source: Gift
September 24, 2016
Oh. My. Gosh! On page 2 when Sophia fell in love with a Duckk, I fell in love with this book! I'm not even sure how I happened to find it, except that I was looking for a cover with shoes on it for another book contest I was entering. The cover and the title really captured my attention and motivated me to look into it. Although there were pages where I wanted to climb right into bed with Sophia and wallow in my depression, the story was, for the most part, hilarious. How excited I would be to see it as a movie! Since the story takes place at BYU, one can guess that's it's a clean one and features LDS characters. However, as I read, I tried to see it as a non-member would and determined that it would be every bit as enjoyable.
As much as I hate discovering new authors I like, I simply MUST read something else by Sally Johnson, maybe the sequel to this!
October 27, 2020
Another joy to read by Sally Johnson! I loved pretty much perfect and since its oct I figured I'd read this "skeleton " book!
I found I had a smile on my face almost the entire time. That's why I give 5 stars. Wish I could give more books 5 stars but sadly, I'm not smiling in most books - and I read a lot of books!
Adorable read w real characters. From the mom who just won't quit w the positivity to the guy who relates to your pain and commiserates with hope for the future. Real anger, real awkwardness (gotta love that), real emotion, real feelings without bringing u down, this was a book that in all honesty I chose to put down because, u know, life is busy, but. . . I kept picking it back up and finished in a few days!
I found I had a smile on my face almost the entire time. That's why I give 5 stars. Wish I could give more books 5 stars but sadly, I'm not smiling in most books - and I read a lot of books!
Adorable read w real characters. From the mom who just won't quit w the positivity to the guy who relates to your pain and commiserates with hope for the future. Real anger, real awkwardness (gotta love that), real emotion, real feelings without bringing u down, this was a book that in all honesty I chose to put down because, u know, life is busy, but. . . I kept picking it back up and finished in a few days!
Read
August 13, 2014It is no secret that I have a serious soft-spot for LDS fiction. I was in the mood to read one this week, and the cover totally caught me on this book (yes, I'm shallow like that). Plus the premise was very similar to Sarah Dunster's Mile 21--one of my top reads from 2013--so I decided to give it a shot.
I thought it was a really cute story. I loved the characters. My favorite scene was when the main character is flipping out about something, and her roommate goes running, screaming from the apartment that they need the priesthood. It's definitely serious, but there are some funny parts as well. Plus, it took me straight back to my BYU days.
I thought it was a really cute story. I loved the characters. My favorite scene was when the main character is flipping out about something, and her roommate goes running, screaming from the apartment that they need the priesthood. It's definitely serious, but there are some funny parts as well. Plus, it took me straight back to my BYU days.
March 5, 2015
This has been one of the cuter LDS fiction books I've read lately. The plot sounded very intriguing and I was immediately hooked. I loved the variety of characters and their character growth, especially Sophia. She was a great main character. She had flaws but you were able to watch her struggle and grow. Luke was dreamy and sweet without being fake or stereotypical. The only thing I didn't like was all the tie ins at the end. I won't spoil it, but I just felt like the author tried too hard to make all the characters fit together. But overall, a super cute read!
July 21, 2016
When we meet Sophia, she is not your typical 19-year-old BYU student. She quickly fell in love and married her Freshman year, and then was devastated when he left her four months later. Her roommates know she's depressed but they don't know why. I enjoyed getting to know the different personalities that were in her apartment; it took me back to my own BYU days!
While this book didn't end on a cliffhanger, I want to read the second book in the series to see how things work out for everyone.
Content: Clean
Notes: LDS Fiction
Source: Amazon.com
While this book didn't end on a cliffhanger, I want to read the second book in the series to see how things work out for everyone.
Content: Clean
Notes: LDS Fiction
Source: Amazon.com
June 21, 2016
I enjoyed this book! It was refreshing to read an LDS novel that warns against getting married to someone too soon. After a quick whirlwind romance, 19 year old Sophia finds herself divorced after just 4 months of marriage. Upon returning to the BYU bubble, she feels she needs to keep her divorce a secret. After months of crippling depression, she learns to open up, find healing and ultimately trust men again. She also helps her room mate mate avoid a marriage that isn't right. It's a great read for someone who is struggling to get over a bitter break up. I actually learned a lot from it!
June 18, 2014
Sophia has a secret that she doesn't want anyone to find out about. She is a freshman at BYU, nineteen and recently divorced. She is very bitter and depressed about the end of her four month marriage and wonders if there was anything she could have done to prevent what happened to her. This story has lots of drama, but it is one that keeps you reading just to find out what will happen to Sophia.
Read
December 23, 2015Great book. I really felt for the the main character and all the struggles and feelings she was experiencing in her life. Life can be extremely hard and it sometimes throws us a curveball that we just don't know how to handle. But the Lord knows us individually and will help us through. He places people in our path to help us grow. That's what this book is about.
June 3, 2014
Really enjoyed this book. It had emotion, laughter, and even tears as a divorced 19 year old named Sophia tries to move on from her whirlwind marriage and aftermath. Loved the Luke, character. Everyone needs to find a Luke.
August 11, 2014
Loved it. Easy to read and got into the story very quickly and kept me engaged. left some open endings as the end that I wish she had finished off, but that is just my "happily ever after" ending that I always want to have.
January 20, 2015
such a fun book what's a girl to do when you're divorced at 19. have a well meaning roommate who just wants to set you up with one date after another. and other problems you in counter while going to school in happy valley.
June 21, 2015
I think I found a modern day Jack Weyland book. . . I loved it. Apparently the author lives in Vegas- I'm going to find her and tell her what a great job she did. Does anyone know her? Great for teenagers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews