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His Secret
There’s only one thing better than being popular, well liked, and the most attractive person on campus—it’s being the object of his desire.
I was overlooked most of my life. Quiet, nerdy, and someone people didn’t notice. But he saw me. Adrian Kennedy was kind where others were indifferent. He laughed, not at me, but because of me. Because he believed I was the funniest person he knew. I was myself with him—stripped bare, exposed. Raw and open in a way I’ve never known since. I was his, and he was mine.
But I was a secret. Perhaps an experiment. Pushed aside when things got too scary. Too real. His kindness turned into cruelty, not because of words he said, but because he was unaware of what his rejection felt like.
Years later, he’s made his way into my life once more. He’s married now. To a woman who will never know him the way I did. The way I still do. He’s lying to her and himself, and becoming my neighbor is sure to expose everything, because he is mine, and I am his—the keeper of his secret.
I was overlooked most of my life. Quiet, nerdy, and someone people didn’t notice. But he saw me. Adrian Kennedy was kind where others were indifferent. He laughed, not at me, but because of me. Because he believed I was the funniest person he knew. I was myself with him—stripped bare, exposed. Raw and open in a way I’ve never known since. I was his, and he was mine.
But I was a secret. Perhaps an experiment. Pushed aside when things got too scary. Too real. His kindness turned into cruelty, not because of words he said, but because he was unaware of what his rejection felt like.
Years later, he’s made his way into my life once more. He’s married now. To a woman who will never know him the way I did. The way I still do. He’s lying to her and himself, and becoming my neighbor is sure to expose everything, because he is mine, and I am his—the keeper of his secret.
410 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2024
403 people are currently reading
1486 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Lucero
37 books1,859 followersIsabel Lucero is a bestselling author, finding joy in giving readers books for every mood.
Born in a small town in New Mexico, Isabel was lucky enough to escape and travel the world thanks to her husband's career in the Air Force. Her and her husband have three kids and two dogs together, and currently reside in Delaware. When Isabel isn't on mommy duty or writing her next book, she can be found reading, or in the nearest Target buying things she doesn't need.
Isabel loves connecting with her readers and fans of books in general. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
https://www.facebook.com/authorisabel...
https://twitter.com/AuthorIsabel
http://instagram.com/isabel__lucero
http://authorisabellucero.blogspot.com/
Born in a small town in New Mexico, Isabel was lucky enough to escape and travel the world thanks to her husband's career in the Air Force. Her and her husband have three kids and two dogs together, and currently reside in Delaware. When Isabel isn't on mommy duty or writing her next book, she can be found reading, or in the nearest Target buying things she doesn't need.
Isabel loves connecting with her readers and fans of books in general. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
https://www.facebook.com/authorisabel...
https://twitter.com/AuthorIsabel
http://instagram.com/isabel__lucero
http://authorisabellucero.blogspot.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
October 10, 2024
A married man asking you not to sleep with anyone else while he plans to continue doing so with his wife is the kind of audacity I need to start having if I'm to succeed in life because YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS?!
Looooooove that Matías shut that down with the quickness.
Anyway.
Being willing to trust someone you hurt abominably in the past to collar you and use a riding crop on you is more trust than I could ever have.
Because if the situation were reversed.........I don't know if I'd have the willpower not to physically make you pay for what you did💀
I'd probably go to town on your ass(with the riding crop, get your minds out of the gutter)
Hall of fame whipping.
I love when an MC is ridiculous enough to say something that on the surface sounds okay but with context, is very unhinged and lacks self awareness.
“You used to care about obeying the rules and you were always worried about someone’s feelings being hurt.”
“Yeah, look what that got me.”
💀And I looooooove when the other MC gives him a passive aggressive reminder of why he is the way he is now —him.
To have sex with someone knowing you plan to dump them immediately after is heinous behavior and no amount of daddy terrors justifies that to me.
A post coital dumping. Literally. Nah, man. That's some cold shit.
I could have liked Adrian more if he wasn't so fucking flippant about his emotional terrorist ways. Yeeish.
'Like the good husband that I am, I check in with my wife before I head to a sex club with the guy I’ve been sleeping with.'—our beloved MC, ladies and gentlemen.
"I can’t even think about you being with someone else, and I’m pissed that you had so many experiences. I’m not grateful that you know yourself better because of them."
Why is it always the Principal Cheaters crashing out, though? Can dish it but can't take it?
"I craved you for eight years. I’ve missed you, longed for you, and thought about nothing else but how I hurt you."
Immense eyeroll.
One, you craved him so achingly that you never did anything about it for EIGHT years until a random coincidence brought you back into contact? Believeable.
Two. Thanks for having an 8 year long masturbatory fantasy about hurting him, I guess? Cool, cool, cool.
'Without him, I laugh less. I miss who I was when I had him, and I hurt myself by hurting him.'
Lol is this supposed to get us to pity this guy? 😂He has SUCH main character syndrome, I swear to God. So you're hurt that the guy you hurt is hurting? Boo hoo.
“I think you’re beautiful, but—”
💀💀💀💀💀Great way to start a sentence to your wife.
I finally figured out what my issue is with Adrian. His intentions are usually good but he's exceptionally bad at communicating them, or dealing with stuff, in general. On the surface, the reason he did what he did at 22 was valid, altruistic even, but the way he went about it is what I can't get myself to forgive.
And my issue with Matías is that he lets life happen to him. Granted, he wasn't given a choice that first time, and you can't force someone to be with you but he got a second chance at steering the ship. He had the upper hand. He HELD the riding crop, figuratively if not literally, and he still chose to hand it over and see what Adrian chose to do.
Smh. Should have whipped that MF when he had the chance.
Looooooove that Matías shut that down with the quickness.
Anyway.
Being willing to trust someone you hurt abominably in the past to collar you and use a riding crop on you is more trust than I could ever have.
Because if the situation were reversed.........I don't know if I'd have the willpower not to physically make you pay for what you did💀
I'd probably go to town on your ass(with the riding crop, get your minds out of the gutter)
Hall of fame whipping.
I love when an MC is ridiculous enough to say something that on the surface sounds okay but with context, is very unhinged and lacks self awareness.
“You used to care about obeying the rules and you were always worried about someone’s feelings being hurt.”
“Yeah, look what that got me.”
💀And I looooooove when the other MC gives him a passive aggressive reminder of why he is the way he is now —him.
To have sex with someone knowing you plan to dump them immediately after is heinous behavior and no amount of daddy terrors justifies that to me.
A post coital dumping. Literally. Nah, man. That's some cold shit.
I could have liked Adrian more if he wasn't so fucking flippant about his emotional terrorist ways. Yeeish.
'Like the good husband that I am, I check in with my wife before I head to a sex club with the guy I’ve been sleeping with.'—our beloved MC, ladies and gentlemen.
"I can’t even think about you being with someone else, and I’m pissed that you had so many experiences. I’m not grateful that you know yourself better because of them."
Why is it always the Principal Cheaters crashing out, though? Can dish it but can't take it?
"I craved you for eight years. I’ve missed you, longed for you, and thought about nothing else but how I hurt you."
Immense eyeroll.
One, you craved him so achingly that you never did anything about it for EIGHT years until a random coincidence brought you back into contact? Believeable.
Two. Thanks for having an 8 year long masturbatory fantasy about hurting him, I guess? Cool, cool, cool.
'Without him, I laugh less. I miss who I was when I had him, and I hurt myself by hurting him.'
Lol is this supposed to get us to pity this guy? 😂He has SUCH main character syndrome, I swear to God. So you're hurt that the guy you hurt is hurting? Boo hoo.
“I think you’re beautiful, but—”
💀💀💀💀💀Great way to start a sentence to your wife.
I finally figured out what my issue is with Adrian. His intentions are usually good but he's exceptionally bad at communicating them, or dealing with stuff, in general. On the surface, the reason he did what he did at 22 was valid, altruistic even, but the way he went about it is what I can't get myself to forgive.
And my issue with Matías is that he lets life happen to him. Granted, he wasn't given a choice that first time, and you can't force someone to be with you but he got a second chance at steering the ship. He had the upper hand. He HELD the riding crop, figuratively if not literally, and he still chose to hand it over and see what Adrian chose to do.
Smh. Should have whipped that MF when he had the chance.
September 28, 2024
His Secret is a fantastic forbidden second chance romance between Adrian and Matías. I loved how you saw their friendship and eventual relationship develop, grow, and become incredibly significant for both. It helps you understand the shock, and devastation at their reunion eight years later.
Overall I loved this story and how it handled such a tricky element with understanding and honesty. Adrian's situation is not only difficult but also nearly impossible and his arc of learning to accept and defend his love for Matías was so amazing to see him finally find his voice and stand up for his right to love.
His secret is a fantastic second-chance romance that I could not get enough of and loved this story from beginning to end.
** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
Overall I loved this story and how it handled such a tricky element with understanding and honesty. Adrian's situation is not only difficult but also nearly impossible and his arc of learning to accept and defend his love for Matías was so amazing to see him finally find his voice and stand up for his right to love.
His secret is a fantastic second-chance romance that I could not get enough of and loved this story from beginning to end.
** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
October 12, 2024
2.5 - this just wasn’t great. The dialogue was so stilted and never really felt conversational. It all felt kind of abrupt and lacked fluidity. There was just so much freaking sex that it stopped adding anything to the relationship. I was even skipping pages of it by the end. We never got fully fledged out, soul bearing, honest conversations between Matias and Adrian. We got snippets but they’d been apart for 8 years and they hardly discussed anything about their lives during that time. It was honestly so disappointing. The sex felt like an easy crutch rather than fully developing the characters or having them rebuild what they’d lost over time and lack of communication. Neither were bad guys, in fact, they were quite likable but it felt kind of surface. The story was there but the execution was not.
dnf
December 18, 2024dnf @ 24%
i simply could not get past the writing style. 16 chapters in and i’m already bored with the pacing. also, i think bdsm was eventually going to be introduced in the smut, which is something i’m always down for, but having to read these specific mcs partaking in it sounds like torture. the little intimate scenes we got so far are so bland, and i refuse to read what will probably be 3 pages max of bdsm smut lol. if a good majority of this book is about infidelity, i need the sex scenes to be spicy from the jump.
i simply could not get past the writing style. 16 chapters in and i’m already bored with the pacing. also, i think bdsm was eventually going to be introduced in the smut, which is something i’m always down for, but having to read these specific mcs partaking in it sounds like torture. the little intimate scenes we got so far are so bland, and i refuse to read what will probably be 3 pages max of bdsm smut lol. if a good majority of this book is about infidelity, i need the sex scenes to be spicy from the jump.
October 27, 2024
Dnf @ 60%
The story is just meh and lacks depth. I wasn't fond of the MCs either.
The story is just meh and lacks depth. I wasn't fond of the MCs either.
September 30, 2024
If you haven’t read this author yet I absolutely recommend them! I always seem to love their stories and get sucked into a story right away. I was captured by Adrian and Matías when they are in college and I absolutely loved seeing their secret relationship develop and see how wonderful they were for each other!
The story does go back and forth in time with dual POV. I actually really liked that for this story. The author did a wonderful job with the flow between past and present and the switch always made sense to me.
I was a little apprehensive about this book due to how much the cheating in the book was mentioned and warned about. I’m glad I gave it a shot as the cheating didn’t actually bother me for this story. I’m happy we saw their chemistry from their younger years as it helped while reading the present years.
If you’re a fan of cheating, Dom/sub, secret relationships and second chances then I would recommend!
The story does go back and forth in time with dual POV. I actually really liked that for this story. The author did a wonderful job with the flow between past and present and the switch always made sense to me.
I was a little apprehensive about this book due to how much the cheating in the book was mentioned and warned about. I’m glad I gave it a shot as the cheating didn’t actually bother me for this story. I’m happy we saw their chemistry from their younger years as it helped while reading the present years.
If you’re a fan of cheating, Dom/sub, secret relationships and second chances then I would recommend!
October 14, 2024
*Full ARC Review*
I was so excited for this book it had some of my favorite tropes and signed up immediately for the ARC.
I was enjoying this book until I wasn't, which was very disappointing because I was very excited for it. This might be your jam especially if your into books with the cheating trope, but this just wasn't it for me 😕
I was so excited for this book it had some of my favorite tropes and signed up immediately for the ARC.
I was enjoying this book until I wasn't, which was very disappointing because I was very excited for it. This might be your jam especially if your into books with the cheating trope, but this just wasn't it for me 😕
October 15, 2024
A MM Second Chance romance with a young love that broke, 2 men whose lives clash again, hurt that HURTS 😭, forbidden & secrecy, “It's always been you”, breaking free, Sexy heat & kink 🥵, dangerous hope & inevitable love!
Going in, I had a feeling this will emotionally wreck me. I was right & it was awesome! Devoured my #ARC in 8hrs, Loved Matías & Adrian!
“My heart has been living without a piece of it for years, because that piece resides in him.”
Matías is quiet, nerdy, bossy, sweet & introverted. M grows into a confident, serious guy who's cautious of relationships.
Adrian is fun, charming, athletic, caring & more extroverted. A'd been repressed from being his authentic self for years 🥺.
We get past & present chapters in batches, which I'm glad about! We all know what's coming in past & it made me sob in their sweet interactions 😭. Omg they were so cute & gosh, do I hate what happened 😤. It shaped them, but true love never dies even if they fractured 😭. (I hate controlling assholes & homophobes 😤.)
Now years later, M+A meet again. M's Adrian's new boss. A's married. They're neighbours!!! So much more against them, but love is inevitable huh? It can't be restrained. But hope is dangerous, what if heart breaks again? Can trust be built?
There's cheating (not b/w MCs), but FYI there wasn't much intimacy in that marriage (it was doomed). M+A's pull is so strong, grapple with guilt...yet A always belonged with M. M's so kinky, dom 🥵, & I loved how M introduces A to new experiences! Love me vers couple 🥰. Loved the climax & long-awaited confrontations 🤤.
This book was f'ing awesome but I feel robbed of a date scene?! I want to see them go in present! Despite all the emotional baggage, their banters are fun & they're so cute, I want more of them! Bonus?! I adored Amelia, she's a mood 😍.
P.s. I do feel bad for Blake from Bar lol 🙈. Also, couple format & errors but they'll be fixed in final book hopefully.
Story Ratings:
POV: 1st person, Dual POV
1) Overall Enjoyment—> 5+/5
2) The Characters: 5/5
3) Top feels: 🤭😳🥺😅😭😤😯😁🥵🥰😬🤔😭🙈😏😙😡🙄🤧🙁🥳☺️
4) Steamy scenes: 5/5
5) Levels: Cute+Swoon: 4/5
Angst: 3/5 (emotional 🥺)
Dark: 2/5
6) Creativity + world: 4.5/5
7) Plot arc: (Second Chance Love, Forbidden) 4.25/5
8) Writing style + pace: 4.5/5
Going in, I had a feeling this will emotionally wreck me. I was right & it was awesome! Devoured my #ARC in 8hrs, Loved Matías & Adrian!
“My heart has been living without a piece of it for years, because that piece resides in him.”
Matías is quiet, nerdy, bossy, sweet & introverted. M grows into a confident, serious guy who's cautious of relationships.
Adrian is fun, charming, athletic, caring & more extroverted. A'd been repressed from being his authentic self for years 🥺.
We get past & present chapters in batches, which I'm glad about! We all know what's coming in past & it made me sob in their sweet interactions 😭. Omg they were so cute & gosh, do I hate what happened 😤. It shaped them, but true love never dies even if they fractured 😭. (I hate controlling assholes & homophobes 😤.)
Now years later, M+A meet again. M's Adrian's new boss. A's married. They're neighbours!!! So much more against them, but love is inevitable huh? It can't be restrained. But hope is dangerous, what if heart breaks again? Can trust be built?
There's cheating (not b/w MCs), but FYI there wasn't much intimacy in that marriage (it was doomed). M+A's pull is so strong, grapple with guilt...yet A always belonged with M. M's so kinky, dom 🥵, & I loved how M introduces A to new experiences! Love me vers couple 🥰. Loved the climax & long-awaited confrontations 🤤.
This book was f'ing awesome but I feel robbed of a date scene?! I want to see them go in present! Despite all the emotional baggage, their banters are fun & they're so cute, I want more of them! Bonus?! I adored Amelia, she's a mood 😍.
P.s. I do feel bad for Blake from Bar lol 🙈. Also, couple format & errors but they'll be fixed in final book hopefully.
Story Ratings:
POV: 1st person, Dual POV
1) Overall Enjoyment—> 5+/5
2) The Characters: 5/5
3) Top feels: 🤭😳🥺😅😭😤😯😁🥵🥰😬🤔😭🙈😏😙😡🙄🤧🙁🥳☺️
4) Steamy scenes: 5/5
5) Levels: Cute+Swoon: 4/5
Angst: 3/5 (emotional 🥺)
Dark: 2/5
6) Creativity + world: 4.5/5
7) Plot arc: (Second Chance Love, Forbidden) 4.25/5
8) Writing style + pace: 4.5/5
October 4, 2024
4.5 stars
His Secret is a second chance, forbidden MM romance story about Matías and Adrian.
I have to start off by saying that I just devoured this book. I couldn’t get enough of Matías and Adrian. They meet in college and I just loved seeing their friendship turn into a relationship, even though they had to keep it a secret. I was devastated how things ended between them. We see them reunite eight years later when Adrian finds himself working for Matías. Adrian is married to a woman, so cheating does take place. Cheating in books can be hit or miss for me, and it didn’t bother me with how it was written in this story.
Matías and Adrian were meant to be together. Their passion and love for each other was amazing. I especially loved the spice and couldn’t get enough of the possessive “you’re mine.” Not only did these boys give us some steamy scenes, but they definitely gave us some emotional ones as well. Everything they went through was not easy, but it was worth it in the end. I really enjoyed Matías and Adrian’s love story, and I definitely recommend you check it out.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
His Secret is a second chance, forbidden MM romance story about Matías and Adrian.
I have to start off by saying that I just devoured this book. I couldn’t get enough of Matías and Adrian. They meet in college and I just loved seeing their friendship turn into a relationship, even though they had to keep it a secret. I was devastated how things ended between them. We see them reunite eight years later when Adrian finds himself working for Matías. Adrian is married to a woman, so cheating does take place. Cheating in books can be hit or miss for me, and it didn’t bother me with how it was written in this story.
Matías and Adrian were meant to be together. Their passion and love for each other was amazing. I especially loved the spice and couldn’t get enough of the possessive “you’re mine.” Not only did these boys give us some steamy scenes, but they definitely gave us some emotional ones as well. Everything they went through was not easy, but it was worth it in the end. I really enjoyed Matías and Adrian’s love story, and I definitely recommend you check it out.
I received an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review.
November 9, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up!
umm ok this was so good, i ate it up!!
i love the “always mine” vibes so so much, it was giving ✨soulmate✨
i also really enjoyed the bdsm elements in this, it was a nice addition to Matías’ character.
i went into this kinda nervous & i typically have a hard time with parental angst but this really hit, especially with the past & present timeline.
definitely very pleased with this one!
umm ok this was so good, i ate it up!!
i love the “always mine” vibes so so much, it was giving ✨soulmate✨
i also really enjoyed the bdsm elements in this, it was a nice addition to Matías’ character.
i went into this kinda nervous & i typically have a hard time with parental angst but this really hit, especially with the past & present timeline.
definitely very pleased with this one!
October 24, 2024
"It’s an ugly situation for everyone, and yet, it doesn't stop people from doing it. Selfishness overpowers everything, and I’m not afraid to admit that I’m selfish enough to keep this up— because he is mine. He always has been. She’s just been borrowing him."
His Secret is a second chance MM romance from dark romance author Isabel Lucero. This isn't a dark read but it's certainly angsty at times, and if you have issues with cheating then it probably won't be for you. That said, I loved it!
What To Expect:
❥ MM romance
❥ Dual POV
❥ Second chance
❥ Forbidden
❥ Boss/employee
❥ Cheating (not between MCs)
❥ Voyeurism
❥ HEA
4 stars
His Secret is a second chance MM romance from dark romance author Isabel Lucero. This isn't a dark read but it's certainly angsty at times, and if you have issues with cheating then it probably won't be for you. That said, I loved it!
What To Expect:
❥ MM romance
❥ Dual POV
❥ Second chance
❥ Forbidden
❥ Boss/employee
❥ Cheating (not between MCs)
❥ Voyeurism
❥ HEA
4 stars
October 10, 2024
DNF at 46%. This seals it: Isabel Lucero is not the author for me.
I was really looking forward to "His Secret". I've only recently started reading books that involve and the second-chance aspect of this one also had a ton of potential. I'm a sucker for a good grovel, and absolute trash for yearning. Unfortunately, though, I couldn't get past what I saw as significant issues with the story, both in terms of characterization and the author's narrative choices.
The biggest offense though (imo) that Lucero commits is one that is so disappointing: when given the chance to make her character truly grapple with the hurt he caused, she gave him an out.
Lucero also pretty desperately needs a different editor. Lots of unintentional repetition, lots of mistaken words. (Example: "Matias had no problem lamenting his attention on others." "Lamenting" does not mean what Lucero thinks it means. I'm pretty sure she meant "lavishing.") Most of my kindle notes about the dialogue say some variation of "people don't talk like this, ugh."
I was really looking forward to "His Secret". I've only recently started reading books that involve and the second-chance aspect of this one also had a ton of potential. I'm a sucker for a good grovel, and absolute trash for yearning. Unfortunately, though, I couldn't get past what I saw as significant issues with the story, both in terms of characterization and the author's narrative choices.
The biggest offense though (imo) that Lucero commits is one that is so disappointing: when given the chance to make her character truly grapple with the hurt he caused, she gave him an out.
Lucero also pretty desperately needs a different editor. Lots of unintentional repetition, lots of mistaken words. (Example: "Matias had no problem lamenting his attention on others." "Lamenting" does not mean what Lucero thinks it means. I'm pretty sure she meant "lavishing.") Most of my kindle notes about the dialogue say some variation of "people don't talk like this, ugh."
October 7, 2024
Oh wow y'all, His Secret was a WILD ride, full of angst and ping, but ultimately SUCH a beautiful story about a second chance. I love @isabel__lucero’s books, so I was thrilled when she reached out about reading this one. Perfect second chance romance that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Friends, do note that this book includes cheating by one of the MMCs. Though I know this can be a nope for some, in this case I thought it was INCREDIBLY well done and somewhat justified by the circumstances. Absolutely worth a read if you love a forbidden romance!
Oh gosh, I felt SO bad for poor Matías. He's convinced his crush on the hot jock in his class is unreciprocated, and he's SO thrilled when it turn out it is - but then Adrian's complicated life brings it all crashing down. And Adrian - ALL he wants is to live his truth and be with Matías, but his circumstances mean he can’t. I love how they are so devoted to each other SO quickly, but outside forces (mostly Adrian’s awful father) tear them apart. When they meet again, they both aren't the same people they were when they met, and I honestly kind of love that Matías ends up being Adrian's boss. It turns the power dynamic on its head and kind of forces Adrian to decide whether being with Matías after years of wanting is worth it to him. And oh boy, when they do get together? Y'all, it's so freaking hot. The chemistry and then the spice is unreal - it's honestly amazing how they pick back up right where they left off.
I'm ok with cheating in a book if I think it's justified, and in the case of His Secret, I really thought it was. Adrian married his wife for some pretty wild reasons under very false pretenses, and it took finding Matías again for him to get his act together. I know its divisive and some people cannot deal with cheating under any circumstances, but I totally got it in this case. If this is a trope you can read, I highly recommend checking it out!
Oh gosh, I felt SO bad for poor Matías. He's convinced his crush on the hot jock in his class is unreciprocated, and he's SO thrilled when it turn out it is - but then Adrian's complicated life brings it all crashing down. And Adrian - ALL he wants is to live his truth and be with Matías, but his circumstances mean he can’t. I love how they are so devoted to each other SO quickly, but outside forces (mostly Adrian’s awful father) tear them apart. When they meet again, they both aren't the same people they were when they met, and I honestly kind of love that Matías ends up being Adrian's boss. It turns the power dynamic on its head and kind of forces Adrian to decide whether being with Matías after years of wanting is worth it to him. And oh boy, when they do get together? Y'all, it's so freaking hot. The chemistry and then the spice is unreal - it's honestly amazing how they pick back up right where they left off.
I'm ok with cheating in a book if I think it's justified, and in the case of His Secret, I really thought it was. Adrian married his wife for some pretty wild reasons under very false pretenses, and it took finding Matías again for him to get his act together. I know its divisive and some people cannot deal with cheating under any circumstances, but I totally got it in this case. If this is a trope you can read, I highly recommend checking it out!
September 26, 2024
I love this one! Matías and Adrian’s story was so good, I love second chance romance. These two were perfect for each other and I was rooting for them to get their HEA. If you don’t like books with cheating, then you might want to skip this one, but it’s my jam so I loved it.
October 7, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was my first book from Isabel Lucero, and I absolutely loved it. This was such an emotional MM romance, and I was immediately sucked in. I honestly couldn’t put this down and read it in one day. This is by far one of my favorite second chance romances I have ever read, and I am really picky about 2nd chance. I usually feel like the author just tries to tell us how much the couple loved each other in the past instead of showing it. However, Isabel Lucero showed me how these two fell in love, and I truly felt like they belonged together.
Matías and Adrian met in college and started out as friends, but Adrian admits his secret crush on Matías, and they start to see each other. Unfortunately, Adrian has not come out, and they have to date in secret. They have such a sweet and beautiful relationship, but it ends with Adrian breaking Matías’ heart. Eight years later, Adrian has returned to the town and happens to get a job working for Matías and he is also his new neighbor. Matías is not only forced to see his first and only love every day, but Adrian is also married to a woman now. They have to deal with their complicated past and the feelings they still have for each other.
I was worried about the cheating in this book, but I honestly didn’t mind it in this story. There are reasons I was able to accept it in this romance, even though cheating is never ok. I just really felt for Adrian because he was forced into this marriage and living a life that was not what he wanted. I loved both of the characters, and their connection was undeniable. They were soulmates.
I loved the way Isabel used the flashbacks throughout the first half of the book to show how they fell in love. This made the second chance romance of this story more powerful. I really loved this couple, and the sex was so spicy, but also romantic. I highly recommend this if you love emotional MM and second chance romances.
Thank you to The Author Agency for providing the ARC.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was my first book from Isabel Lucero, and I absolutely loved it. This was such an emotional MM romance, and I was immediately sucked in. I honestly couldn’t put this down and read it in one day. This is by far one of my favorite second chance romances I have ever read, and I am really picky about 2nd chance. I usually feel like the author just tries to tell us how much the couple loved each other in the past instead of showing it. However, Isabel Lucero showed me how these two fell in love, and I truly felt like they belonged together.
Matías and Adrian met in college and started out as friends, but Adrian admits his secret crush on Matías, and they start to see each other. Unfortunately, Adrian has not come out, and they have to date in secret. They have such a sweet and beautiful relationship, but it ends with Adrian breaking Matías’ heart. Eight years later, Adrian has returned to the town and happens to get a job working for Matías and he is also his new neighbor. Matías is not only forced to see his first and only love every day, but Adrian is also married to a woman now. They have to deal with their complicated past and the feelings they still have for each other.
I was worried about the cheating in this book, but I honestly didn’t mind it in this story. There are reasons I was able to accept it in this romance, even though cheating is never ok. I just really felt for Adrian because he was forced into this marriage and living a life that was not what he wanted. I loved both of the characters, and their connection was undeniable. They were soulmates.
I loved the way Isabel used the flashbacks throughout the first half of the book to show how they fell in love. This made the second chance romance of this story more powerful. I really loved this couple, and the sex was so spicy, but also romantic. I highly recommend this if you love emotional MM and second chance romances.
Thank you to The Author Agency for providing the ARC.
October 6, 2024
Isabel gave me all the forbidden, pining vibes I was looking for with this one!
After becoming friends in college, a romance quickly blossoms between the quiet Matías and popular football player, Adrian. Though head over heels in love, Adrian’s fear of his controlling father keeps him firmly in the closet. There’s a split that leaves Matías deeply wounded, and he subsequently builds a life of boundaries and control. Eight years later, both men are surprised to discover Matías is the now married Adrian’s new boss. Circumstances continue to throw them into close contact, and the men are powerless to resist the pull between them.
Cheating is a controversial trope, but I absolutely LOVE IT. Give me the pining, the guilt, the sneaking, and I will eat it up with a spoon! Something about acknowledging that humans are fallible and messy, combined with the inevitability of the love they share, just gets me. This book delivers all that, though it isn’t weighty with angst.
An easy read, my attention was held by the shifts in timeline, weaving the story of Adrian and Matías’ first relationship with their current struggles. The spice is on FIRE and if you’re looking for 👅🍑, then look no further because Matías is insatiable for it! This was a hit for me, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a mid-angst, second chance romance with a side of infidelity!
*I received an advanced reader copy from The Author Agency and am voluntarily leaving my review*
After becoming friends in college, a romance quickly blossoms between the quiet Matías and popular football player, Adrian. Though head over heels in love, Adrian’s fear of his controlling father keeps him firmly in the closet. There’s a split that leaves Matías deeply wounded, and he subsequently builds a life of boundaries and control. Eight years later, both men are surprised to discover Matías is the now married Adrian’s new boss. Circumstances continue to throw them into close contact, and the men are powerless to resist the pull between them.
Cheating is a controversial trope, but I absolutely LOVE IT. Give me the pining, the guilt, the sneaking, and I will eat it up with a spoon! Something about acknowledging that humans are fallible and messy, combined with the inevitability of the love they share, just gets me. This book delivers all that, though it isn’t weighty with angst.
An easy read, my attention was held by the shifts in timeline, weaving the story of Adrian and Matías’ first relationship with their current struggles. The spice is on FIRE and if you’re looking for 👅🍑, then look no further because Matías is insatiable for it! This was a hit for me, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a mid-angst, second chance romance with a side of infidelity!
*I received an advanced reader copy from The Author Agency and am voluntarily leaving my review*
January 5, 2025
past/present
cheating on wife
boss/employee
dom/sub
steamy
cheating on wife
boss/employee
dom/sub
steamy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2024
✨ARC review
Thank you to the author Isabel Lucero for this advanced copy of 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Falling in love is easy but choosing love and keeping love may not be. Letting love go however can prove to be the most difficult of all.
Sweet, quiet Matias never expected that the popular, outgoing Adrian would become his closest friend - let alone that the straight man would return his attraction. Swiftly senior year of college turned into a whirlwind of love for the two until it crumbled.
Now nearly a decade later Adrian & Matias’ worlds collide again only to find that the love they left behind really isn’t out of reach.
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭-𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴.
𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”
Time has hardened the sweet Matias, forgiveness might not be possible and forgetting is useless. Once he was a dirty little secret and even if it makes him selfish he’s ready to be that again for his only love.
“𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧���𝘴𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘱-𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘚𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮.” 💥
Sometimes a second chance is what it takes to face the truth and fight the battles you’ve been afraid you couldn’t win. Honestly what is a life without your one love? Matias & Adrian may not have had a traditional path however their love is truer than anything else and maybe this time they are both ready to choose & keep love..
“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘰. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
✨MM Romance
💋Secret Relationship
🖤Second Chance
🌪️Cheating
Thank you to the author Isabel Lucero for this advanced copy of 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Falling in love is easy but choosing love and keeping love may not be. Letting love go however can prove to be the most difficult of all.
Sweet, quiet Matias never expected that the popular, outgoing Adrian would become his closest friend - let alone that the straight man would return his attraction. Swiftly senior year of college turned into a whirlwind of love for the two until it crumbled.
Now nearly a decade later Adrian & Matias’ worlds collide again only to find that the love they left behind really isn’t out of reach.
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭-𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴.
𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.”
Time has hardened the sweet Matias, forgiveness might not be possible and forgetting is useless. Once he was a dirty little secret and even if it makes him selfish he’s ready to be that again for his only love.
“𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧���𝘴𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘱-𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘚𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮.” 💥
Sometimes a second chance is what it takes to face the truth and fight the battles you’ve been afraid you couldn’t win. Honestly what is a life without your one love? Matias & Adrian may not have had a traditional path however their love is truer than anything else and maybe this time they are both ready to choose & keep love..
“𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘰. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
✨MM Romance
💋Secret Relationship
🖤Second Chance
🌪️Cheating
January 15, 2026
2.5 🌟
im ngl i probably would have dnfed this if i wasn't on a plane. very bland, very generic. very uninspired, but a quick (not entirely terrible) fix if you're in the mood.
im ngl i probably would have dnfed this if i wasn't on a plane. very bland, very generic. very uninspired, but a quick (not entirely terrible) fix if you're in the mood.
October 9, 2024
An enjoyable and hot story. I just didn't connect to the way the story was told. I wanted to feel more, not just read about it. I really liked both MCs.
October 25, 2024
I've been struggling with finishing my books lately and this one didn't help at all. The characters were bland, no personalities, interests, whatsoever. If one of the MCs wasn't closeted and married, I would've told them apart at all, what's the point of dual POV? The book was all about sex, which I skimmed, and cheating, so check tw before you dive into it. I wasn't invested in their story at all, neither in the said miraculous notion that bound them together for 8 years.
November 6, 2024
Rating: 5/5 🌟
Spice: 3.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Adrian and Matías
This book was so much more than I was expecting. I usually struggle with the cheating trope in romance, but I trust Isabel's writing and dove in without a second thought. I'm so glad I did.
Adrian and Matías meet in college. It's one of those whirlwind passionate romances that ends too quickly but changes both of them completely. Adrian is not able to come out because of his father so the relationship ends. The book takes place 8 years later when Adrian moves back to town with his wife and ends up working for Matías, who is also his neighbor.
There is a lot of back and forth between these two. Their love was so deep, a true soulmate connection that it cannot be denied.
I enjoyed that it switched between the time periods throughout the book. This is another thing I usually struggle with in books, but it was done well here and was definitely needed. Showing them in college helps you grasp onto their love and issues better.
Cheating is never okay, in my opinion, but this was one of those situations where I was able to look over it and accept it. You'll understand when/if you read it. I do not want to give anything away.
I will say (because this was something I had anxiety over), there is no intimacy shared between Adrian and his wife, so it doesn't feel like he's also cheating on Matías.
Even if you don't like cheating in books, I'd say give this one a shot. It's a very good, very strong second chance romance. I loved both of our MMC's, the steam was fantastic, and the romance so strong. Honestly, Isabel never misses for me. I have loved everything I've read of hers and this was no different!
Spice: 3.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Adrian and Matías
This book was so much more than I was expecting. I usually struggle with the cheating trope in romance, but I trust Isabel's writing and dove in without a second thought. I'm so glad I did.
Adrian and Matías meet in college. It's one of those whirlwind passionate romances that ends too quickly but changes both of them completely. Adrian is not able to come out because of his father so the relationship ends. The book takes place 8 years later when Adrian moves back to town with his wife and ends up working for Matías, who is also his neighbor.
There is a lot of back and forth between these two. Their love was so deep, a true soulmate connection that it cannot be denied.
I enjoyed that it switched between the time periods throughout the book. This is another thing I usually struggle with in books, but it was done well here and was definitely needed. Showing them in college helps you grasp onto their love and issues better.
Cheating is never okay, in my opinion, but this was one of those situations where I was able to look over it and accept it. You'll understand when/if you read it. I do not want to give anything away.
I will say (because this was something I had anxiety over), there is no intimacy shared between Adrian and his wife, so it doesn't feel like he's also cheating on Matías.
Even if you don't like cheating in books, I'd say give this one a shot. It's a very good, very strong second chance romance. I loved both of our MMC's, the steam was fantastic, and the romance so strong. Honestly, Isabel never misses for me. I have loved everything I've read of hers and this was no different!
October 5, 2024
When I tell you I literally devoured this book I managed to read it in 5 hours, it’s currently 3am when I’m writing this because I absolutely refused to put it down😩 Very grateful to have received an ARC for this one💕 I am also giving it 5⭐️ it was just perfection 😌
I literally cannot find anything wrong with the book, like there’s not one thing I didn’t like, the plot was great, the characters absolutely brilliant, can’t forget the spice too😉 I don’t think I’ve read a book that I’ve enjoyed this much in a while, and by that I mean the feelings it brought out, I had to take literal breaks before continuing some chapters because of the fricking tension, then some chapters left me all giddy, then sad, then pissed off, I mean it was A LOT for 3am🤣 and I absolutely loved it💕
The characters were perfect, they were nothing like I expected, especially further down into the book, the way their personalities developed was brilliant🤩. I don’t want to give too much away but I really enjoyed how forgiveness was portrayed in this book, how it was described, I’m a grudge holder myself so I quite enjoyed seeing a character not be so easy to forgive, although yes it did break my heart a little🥹 I also cannot find one thing I would’ve changed in this book, like at all because everything happened for a reason I believe, all the hurtful situations lead to something beautiful in the end❤️🩹 I 10000% recommend this book, and not being a fan of the cheating trope (not between the MMCs) myself I was skeptical, but it’s literally nothing like I thought it would be. Definitely up there with one of my favourite books💙🩵
I literally cannot find anything wrong with the book, like there’s not one thing I didn’t like, the plot was great, the characters absolutely brilliant, can’t forget the spice too😉 I don’t think I’ve read a book that I’ve enjoyed this much in a while, and by that I mean the feelings it brought out, I had to take literal breaks before continuing some chapters because of the fricking tension, then some chapters left me all giddy, then sad, then pissed off, I mean it was A LOT for 3am🤣 and I absolutely loved it💕
The characters were perfect, they were nothing like I expected, especially further down into the book, the way their personalities developed was brilliant🤩. I don’t want to give too much away but I really enjoyed how forgiveness was portrayed in this book, how it was described, I’m a grudge holder myself so I quite enjoyed seeing a character not be so easy to forgive, although yes it did break my heart a little🥹 I also cannot find one thing I would’ve changed in this book, like at all because everything happened for a reason I believe, all the hurtful situations lead to something beautiful in the end❤️🩹 I 10000% recommend this book, and not being a fan of the cheating trope (not between the MMCs) myself I was skeptical, but it’s literally nothing like I thought it would be. Definitely up there with one of my favourite books💙🩵
October 17, 2024
This was bland. It lacked soul, depth, and angst. I felt absolutely zero connection to Matías and Adrian or their relationship. Everything happened far too quickly for a genuine connection to be built for me. I was left indifferent and bored and found myself skim reading massive chunks as I just didn't care.
January 5, 2025
I loved this! I love the dual pov and how it went back in time now and then to go over parts of the story. Sometimes when authors do that it doesn’t work but it was done very well here. I’ve been having bad luck with most of my books the last two weeks so clicking with this one makes me so happy. Matias and Adrian had me from the beginning.
October 20, 2024
This is a second chances MM romance, but spiced up with infidelity. Our MCs, Matias and Adrian, meet in college and have a whirlwind secret romance. But Adrian's homophobic and domineering father looms large in their relationship and forces them apart. Years later, by sheer coincidence, Adrian, now married to a woman, ends up working for Mathias, and they embark on a steamy affair. The first part of the book shifts between the past and present, so you get an idea of what they had before, and what they lost. Their chemistry was pretty good.
This was an okay read for me. I find romances with infidelity fascinating because of how authors handle the cheating. There's always so much justification and frantically trying to make the cheaters not look like the bad guys, the mental gymnastics are fun to watch. This was actually refreshing in that it was pretty straightforward, Adrian fucked up, and that fact is acknowledged. Sure, he gets to have his cake and eat it, but at least they never demonize his wife. I did feel that we spent too little time in the actual affair, there was a lot of potential for it to be much spicier, but the like second act of the book felt pretty abbreviated and although there's like this suggestion of kink, it never really goes anywhere. I also dislike the reliance on random coincidence. The chapters are really short, so it reads quickly, but also feels kind of choppy. Overall, not a bad book, but not really exceptional either.
This was an okay read for me. I find romances with infidelity fascinating because of how authors handle the cheating. There's always so much justification and frantically trying to make the cheaters not look like the bad guys, the mental gymnastics are fun to watch. This was actually refreshing in that it was pretty straightforward, Adrian fucked up, and that fact is acknowledged. Sure, he gets to have his cake and eat it, but at least they never demonize his wife. I did feel that we spent too little time in the actual affair, there was a lot of potential for it to be much spicier, but the like second act of the book felt pretty abbreviated and although there's like this suggestion of kink, it never really goes anywhere. I also dislike the reliance on random coincidence. The chapters are really short, so it reads quickly, but also feels kind of choppy. Overall, not a bad book, but not really exceptional either.
October 6, 2024
We’re like two volcanoes on the cusp of eruption.
I didn't want this book to end. I wouldn't mind spending more time with Matías and Adrian. All that tension, passion and heat, I couldn't get enough.
Is cheating okay? Obviously not. It could have been handled in better ways, but it wouldn't have been such a thrilling ride if that was the case. It's fictional people after all..
His Secret changes between the past and the present, and we get a good understanding of how their relationship began, and how it ended. We get to see their friendship in the beginning, and how they were oblivious to the fact that they were both crushing on each other. Already then their relationship is full of passion, and you can feel their happiness through the pages. But it's a secret. Adrian can't be open about his sexuality for many reasons, mainly because of his dad.
Back to the present, it's eight years later, and the two men reunite by accident. Adrian changes jobs and location, not knowing that Matías is his boss and neighbor. An old flame sparks to life, but there is one problem. Adrian is married. To a woman
Their love story is nerve wrecking, heartbreaking, beautiful, twisted and very passionate. Their chemistry is out of this world, and you can't help but root for them. And the ending... Well, I wasn't mad about it, at all.
Love is a strange thing. It’s consuming, yes. Sometimes it’s blind and intoxicating. Other times it’s freeing. It can make you feel warm and protected. It can make you afraid. It’s not ever exactly the same for everyone, but once you love someone, there’s a part of your heart carved out only for them.
❥ Dual POV
❥ MM Romance
❥ Second Chance
❥ Forbidden
❥ Workplace
❥ Cheating
❥ Voyeurism
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Read the full review on my blog here with edits and quotes.
I didn't want this book to end. I wouldn't mind spending more time with Matías and Adrian. All that tension, passion and heat, I couldn't get enough.
Is cheating okay? Obviously not. It could have been handled in better ways, but it wouldn't have been such a thrilling ride if that was the case. It's fictional people after all..
His Secret changes between the past and the present, and we get a good understanding of how their relationship began, and how it ended. We get to see their friendship in the beginning, and how they were oblivious to the fact that they were both crushing on each other. Already then their relationship is full of passion, and you can feel their happiness through the pages. But it's a secret. Adrian can't be open about his sexuality for many reasons, mainly because of his dad.
Back to the present, it's eight years later, and the two men reunite by accident. Adrian changes jobs and location, not knowing that Matías is his boss and neighbor. An old flame sparks to life, but there is one problem. Adrian is married. To a woman
Their love story is nerve wrecking, heartbreaking, beautiful, twisted and very passionate. Their chemistry is out of this world, and you can't help but root for them. And the ending... Well, I wasn't mad about it, at all.
Love is a strange thing. It’s consuming, yes. Sometimes it’s blind and intoxicating. Other times it’s freeing. It can make you feel warm and protected. It can make you afraid. It’s not ever exactly the same for everyone, but once you love someone, there’s a part of your heart carved out only for them.
❥ Dual POV
❥ MM Romance
❥ Second Chance
❥ Forbidden
❥ Workplace
❥ Cheating
❥ Voyeurism
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Read the full review on my blog here with edits and quotes.
October 7, 2024
Sometimes being in love is like a trap. You can't escape it. Adrian is trapped in 2 worlds. The one that keeps his family and security and the one he really wants. These two may have a torn past but they clearly never got close to closure. Big feelings from being first loves, finding out that you still want them, realising you never escaped them.
Torture for Matias to see Adrian again, married to a woman, knowing he chose that life in exchange for him. He has channeled his hurt and leads an exclusive lifestyle. Always in control, never catching feelings and sleeps alone. But having Adrian suddenly start a job where he works, is enough for them both to lose control.
This is more complex than a book about an affair. The power of manipulation and emotional blackmail runs throughout this book. When power exchanges have been evident since childhood, its grip is so tight. When Aiden is with Matias, he can breath, he can feel and he is free. There is never any doubt these two men remained in love, just tragic that they were robbed of a seamless relationship. They didn't get their happy ending without a lot of heartbreak and headaches. The stolen moments were tainted of being pure and deserved. A book where only age and fear stood in the way of the greatest love story. How these two men were destined to be together because love is the strongest emotion, if you allow it to take the lead. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Torture for Matias to see Adrian again, married to a woman, knowing he chose that life in exchange for him. He has channeled his hurt and leads an exclusive lifestyle. Always in control, never catching feelings and sleeps alone. But having Adrian suddenly start a job where he works, is enough for them both to lose control.
This is more complex than a book about an affair. The power of manipulation and emotional blackmail runs throughout this book. When power exchanges have been evident since childhood, its grip is so tight. When Aiden is with Matias, he can breath, he can feel and he is free. There is never any doubt these two men remained in love, just tragic that they were robbed of a seamless relationship. They didn't get their happy ending without a lot of heartbreak and headaches. The stolen moments were tainted of being pure and deserved. A book where only age and fear stood in the way of the greatest love story. How these two men were destined to be together because love is the strongest emotion, if you allow it to take the lead. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
October 30, 2024
The first few chapters while we're in the past are great. When it switched to 8 years later......that wasn't so great. Not because of the time jump! I've read really good books with crazy time jumps (bad wrong things, the care taker). It's the way it was written when we get to the present time. It was.... weird, I don't know. Nothing was flowing. Matias is clearly pissed off with Adrian for how things ended in the past (which at this point we don't know WHAT happened in the past) which again, that's not the problem, it should've made me want to keep reading to find out what happened. But it was so stiff. And watt pad-ish. Like, we're hit with trope after trope --my ex is my new employee, my ex just moved in next door, random work trip and my ex has to ride with me-- Idk, I hated that because it was just bam bam bam instead of flowing. Ya know? Idk...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2024
3.5🌟
I didn’t like Adrian( he had too much audacity)
Matias needed a backbone. He gave Adrian too much control despite being the one in control 👩🦯👩🦯
I didn’t like Adrian( he had too much audacity)
Matias needed a backbone. He gave Adrian too much control despite being the one in control 👩🦯👩🦯
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