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Hidden Secrets

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Kim Brewster’s ill-fated marriage was annulled so quickly that she thought she could keep the whole thing a secret…until she found out she was pregnant. But before her confession can blow a hole in the seemingly perfect lives of the Brewster women, her great-grandmother, Hannah, drops a bomb of her own. She’s selling her hotel and moving to a farm in Oklahoma―and all the Brewsters are coming with her. Kim is sure her grandmother, Karen, and mother, Sue, won’t go along with the plan, but Hannah can be very convincing. Soon the women are working the farm, selling their wares from a roadside stand, and finally feeling like a family. And as the Brewster women’s lives take shape in ways they never expected, Kim may have found another shot at love. Luke thought he’d washed his hands of women, but when he stops by the vegetable stand and meets Kim, he’s instantly smitten. To find love, though, they’ll both have to dig past their hidden secrets.

Audio CD

First published November 13, 2012

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About the author

Carolyn Brown

181 books4,128 followers
Hi! I'm twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can't trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who've made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He's even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!

Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.

I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.

I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.

Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!

I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.

Happy reading!

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5 stars
7,910 (54%)
4 stars
4,083 (28%)
3 stars
1,870 (12%)
2 stars
488 (3%)
1 star
201 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 640 reviews
Profile Image for Sharon.
1,215 reviews75 followers
April 24, 2023
I bought this from Amazon based on all the 4 and 5 star reviews - I can only assume that the people who gave it a 4/5 star rating got a different book, because this was boring and predictable. The story is about 4 generations of women from the same family - aged 80, 60, 40 and 20. The 60 year old and 40 year old were so dull I couldn't even remember which one was which - the only vaguely interesting character was 80 year old Hannah, but even she was the victim of a personality overhaul within the first few chapters. The women pack up their whole lives (they actually don't even pack, they just go and get movers to pack afterwards) to move to a farm in Oklahoma left to Hannah by her best friend Norma, who has died. Hannah and Norma had not seen each other in 60 years but had kept in touch via letters - letters so detailed, apparently, that Norma would correctly predict the various jobs the women would undertake when they got there, because she left them all letters with no real content. The title "Hidden Secrets" is a bit redundant (thanks to April who pointed out my incorrect use of the word 'oxymoron' here) - is there any such thing as a secret that's not hidden? I found the insta-romance predictable and in Kim's case - surprising. I can't think of many 24 year old men who would behave in the way her love interest did given the circumstances.

The story had great promise - four generations discovering more about each other in one summer than they previously knew over a lifetime - but it ended up being a wishy-washy tale about an old lady who immediately drops everything she has worked for and held dear for decades to take over her friend's entire life, and instant love connections that I found unrealistic and dull. There was obviously nothing wrong with the two main males in the story - so what were they doing, waiting round celibate until some "highfalutin" ladies rolled into to town?

I finished it, but I raced through the last 50 pages.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rachel Sides.
678 reviews6 followers
January 15, 2013
Carolyn Brown is one of my favorite Oklahoma authors. Really, she is one of my favorite authors, but she writes about Oklahoma in a way that makes me proud to live here. Most of Carolyn Brown's books are romances published by Avalon Press which I believe is out of business. Hidden Secrets is published by Montlake Romance and not really a romance though it does contain romance.

Hidden Secrets is the story of four generations of women who on the spur of the moment agree to spend the summer in Oklahoma to manage a farm which is left to Hannah Brewer by a distant cousin she has never mentioned before. The women leave their lavish lifestyles in West Virginia for various reasons with hidden secrets. Eighty year old Hannah wants to relive the summer she turned sixteen on her previous visit to Oklahoma where she met Norma Andrews. Hannah's daughter, sixty year old Karen Tarleton, is in the middle of a messy divorce and battle over a winery that she owns with her husband. Karen's forty year old daughter, Sue DeHaven, is a widowed school teacher needing something to fill her summer break. Sue's twenty year old daughter, Kim DeHaven, needs the summer to tell her perfect family that she is pregnant and the father is getting married to someone else. None of them imagine that they will stay in Oklahoma beyond the summer.
Profile Image for Jackie.
3,957 reviews128 followers
March 3, 2019
I am sorry for those who could not suspend their disbelief and simply enjoy this heartwarming story of 4 generations of women coming together in a way that defied their previous lifestyles and desires at earlier times in their lives.

I thought that Hannah, Karen, Sue and Kim accepting as well as thoroughly embracing to the fullest the wonderful gift that Norma had bequeathed to her beloved cousin lovely.

The fact is that as new beginnings went this one was not only a total shock to the four women in question but to anyone who had known them or was even slightly acquainted with any of them in any way.

The author is one of my favorites for penning family driven stories and this one touched my heart as well as my mind from it's beginning to it's ending epilogue.
Profile Image for Sharlene.
1,053 reviews29 followers
July 23, 2017
4 generations of women all move from the city and luxury to a farm, which the great grandmother, Hannah, inherited from an old friend. I love the interactions between the ladies and other friends they meet when they move to the farm. There are a couple of romances brewing, which is a must for anything I read!
Profile Image for Stacy Reads.
219 reviews5 followers
May 6, 2018
Carolyn Brown is not writing earth-shaking, epic stories meant to leave you rethinking your entire life. These stories are simple and distracting from everyday life and feel-good. Given that, Hidden Secrets is successful on all fronts. A quick read with likeable characters that make you smile (and even tear up occasionally).
Profile Image for Reni.
400 reviews
July 10, 2017
First timer with this author and I really enjoyed it. I might keep an eye out for her other books
Profile Image for Vicki.
558 reviews37 followers
September 6, 2022
I love books about family, especially if it’s about the females in a family. This book had a great grandmother, grandmother, mother, daughter.

The relationships of these women were good but grew as the book progressed. By the end their bond was as close as it could be and was unbreakable.

The story-line moved along at a good pace and there were a lot of surprises. The narration was very good, especially considering how many female voices there were.

This is a story about the bond women have through thick and thin, and how you can reach the happiness you desire no matter your age.

I loved this book!
Profile Image for Lori .
171 reviews
March 5, 2015
Love the family in this book.

Where to start? Overall, this book was fantastic. Four generations of women make a trip of chance into a move of a lifetime! Most families have secrets but these women show what it is like when you forgive one another and just love.
Profile Image for Melissa Allen-Price.
229 reviews1 follower
June 9, 2019
Love love love

Wish it would of kept going!!! Loved the twist the plots and EVERY character in this book. Wish it kept going!!’
Profile Image for Reading-for-life (Angela Sanford).
252 reviews15 followers
May 7, 2020
Author Carolyn Brown has created another masterpiece in Hidden Secrets. After learning her cousin Norma passed away and left her the family farm, Hannah Brewster decides to sell the Brewster Hotel, that they have owned and ran for 60 years, and move to Oklahoma. Unbeknownst to them, Hannah intends to take her daughter Karen, who is going through a divorce, her granddaughter Sue, who is still grieving over her husbands loss, and her great granddaughter Kim, who has a couple of secrets of her own. After living in luxury most of their lives, they believe Hannah has lost her mind, but after a few weeks on the farm, each of the ladies discover that there is more to life then designer clothes, high end hair salons and housekeepers. With the help of neighbors John and Luke, the farm is thriving. With all of the ladies living under the same roof, they are discovering things about each other that they didn't know, secrets are being revealed. For the first time in their lives, the ladies begin to understand one another and can say they have found true happiness. Filled with many surprises, Hidden Secrets will lift your spirits and be a testament to the fact that love can solve anything. Filled with laughter and tears, Author Carolyn Brown continues to write five plus star reads!
Profile Image for DiAnne.
226 reviews11 followers
July 18, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and its characters. However, I found it a bit too good to be true. That is the reasoning behind my 4 star rating instead of a 5 star. I do think sometimes we need books like this to lift our spirits though. Four generations of strong-willed and determined women take off on a journey that will bring out secrets they have been holding back from each other. They needed to break free from issues they were facing in West Virginia. They never anticipated their journey to Oklahoma might change their lives forever.

Kim Brewster’s ill-fated marriage was annulled so quickly that she thought she could keep the whole thing a secret…until she found out she was pregnant. But before her confession can blow a hole in the seemingly perfect lives of the Brewster women, her great-grandmother, Hannah, drops a bomb of her own. She’s selling her hotel and moving to a farm in Oklahoma—and all the Brewsters are coming with her. Kim is sure her grandmother, Karen, and mother, Sue, won’t go along with the plan, but Hannah can be very convincing. Soon the women are working the farm, selling their wares from a roadside stand, and finally feeling like a family.
And as the Brewster women’s lives take shape in ways they never expected, Kim may have found another shot at love. Luke thought he’d washed his hands of women, but when he stops by the vegetable stand and meets Kim, he’s instantly smitten. To find love, though, they’ll both have to dig past their hidden secrets.
Profile Image for Nicki Hinkle.
347 reviews
March 26, 2019
Let's start by saying that this type of book is not my "cup of tea." I dislike romance novels in general and this one did not change my outlook.
I was drawn in by this one because the book starts with a family from Morgantown, WV, which is only an hour away from my home. (I had to let go of a typo on the back cover that said it was Morganton, WV - goodness, how could you let your publisher get away with that!?!?!)
Spoiler alert - if there could be a spoiler to this tame story - they considered themselves "city folk" being from Morgantown and whatnot and moved to the "country" which was Emet, Oklahoma.
There was very little drama and the "secrets" that these women kept were doled out like they were biblical revelations and they were just your run of the mill "hushes" that you hear growing up in the country.
It was nice to see that all the ladies rekindled their family relationships and everything turned out "alright" in the end. If you like happy endings with a very small story arc, this is the book for you! Tame, predictable and happy for everyone involved.
Profile Image for Jodie.
256 reviews3 followers
August 13, 2018
Carolyn Brown has so much talent for making me fall in love with her characters. Kim Brewster is almost 20 years old. She just found out she is pregnant and is afraid to tell her mother, Sue; her grandmother, Kim; and her great-grandmother, Hannah, because they are so "perfect" and she doesn't want to be disowned.
When Kim got married in Vegas, she quickly realized the mistake she made and ended up getting the marriage annulled. Before Kim could figure out how to tell everyone, her great grandmother, Hannah, tells everyone that she is going to move to a farm in Oklahoma and they are all going with her!
At first I didn't think I could keep everyone straight. Four generations of women, all about 20 years apart are a lot to keep track of! It wasn't so bad though after a couple chapters. This was a light, quick read with great narration done by Shannon McManus.
Profile Image for MARY GRACE.
178 reviews3 followers
March 26, 2019
Boring

While this is a decent and clean story, it is super boring in my opinion. You could pretty much predict what was going to happen. It put me to sleep several times. I enjoyed reading about the country food items though. :-)
Profile Image for Carolyn.
2,233 reviews
September 25, 2020
This is a wonderful book! It is a heartwarming story about four generations of women all together on a life changing adventure for them all. Two cute little romances in there as well. I loved it. Carolyn Brown's books always leave me smiling. ;)
Profile Image for Madison_renee2415.
413 reviews5 followers
March 16, 2025
so cute

This was such a good book.
Loved how four women who lived pampered lives, were moved to the country to take care of a woman’s last wish.

Profile Image for Misty.
551 reviews39 followers
January 9, 2019
Cute book. Started off strong but was super predictable...which is ok, but I wanted a bit more. Still a good read
23 reviews
June 13, 2017
A beautiful and quirky story

Such a beautiful story about a family of women growing closer and finding themselves. This is one of those feel-good stories that make you question your own baggage and insecurities.
Profile Image for Lori (on hiatus, life is crazy busy)).
452 reviews164 followers
May 1, 2021
Loved this story! Hannah is a wealthy elderly woman who has lived a life of luxury. When her best friend dies and leaves her everything, Hannah decides to give up her life and move to Oklahoma to live out her days on a farm getting her hands dirty. Her daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter decide to head to Oklahoma with Hannah just for the summer. They didn't plan on working in the heat keeping up a vegetable stand and garden. All women come expecting to go home come fall. But how can they give up this new life that has given them peace and a chance at a new life. I loved all the characters and their struggles to overcome their own insecurities. Not to mention a few little secrets that come out!
Profile Image for Diana Torres.
107 reviews2 followers
February 15, 2016
Another book that I absolutely like. It was fun yet a bit intriguing. The first few chapters I had a bit of issues to get thru to them, because for some reason they made the book feel predictable, but as I kept reading this book kept throwing curb balls that made every prediction fade away and left me wanting to keep reading and not put it down.

I had a hard time at the beginning with Nana Hannah, she was too bossy, and annoying somehow, but as the story developes I finally understood her and she grew big on me. What can I say I love Nana Hannah as I love the rest of the ladies in the Brewer family and friends.

As secrets were being revealed life started to change for them, they went from feeling guilty to feeling free Thanks to Norma, who after her death she left everything set for the Brewer girls to have some sort of life change from the way they were living. Thia womens were loving, stubborn and hard headed, but most of all they were independent and decided to make a life of their own and not just settle for what they thought was going to be correct from others people point of view.
Profile Image for Roz Curney-Sherod.
643 reviews10 followers
June 10, 2019
Hidden Secrets turned out (for me) to be the perfect beginning of Summer reading. No deep thinking or mystery solving just plain romance and female relationships. Hidden Secrets is the fictional story of four (4) generations of Women called Brewster. Great-grandmother Hannah, Grandmother Karen, Mother Sue and Great-granddaughter Kim. Each woman is carrying a secret that is hidden from the others, whom none of them have a close-tie. I really enjoyed this book even though you may have to suspend belief when it comes to the romances in the story and just say to yourself it's only fiction (LOL). But overall, I love this author and this isn't the first book I've read by her either. I like the southern charm of her stories, the characters and imaging sipping sun tea or ice cold lemonade! Anyway, here's to HEA's in my summer reading.
Profile Image for Denise Vasak.
481 reviews5 followers
August 24, 2017
This book was NOT what I was expecting. Based on the description I thought there would be some angst and a lot to do with the pregnancy. But..... yeah that's not what this was. EVERY problem felt like my 8 and 10 year olds wrote it. It was THE WORST THING EVER!!!!!! Only in the very next sentence it was like "oh, nope it's fine - actually better than fine!". Ugh.... It was SO frustrating. The jump between time periods was odd too. There were very subtle clues or no clues that we had jumped a week or so in time until a few sentences into the chapter. I didn't get it, didn't find it all that compelling and was glad to be done with it.
283 reviews3 followers
September 30, 2016
Just perfect!

These four generations of ladies really deserved happy endings. Norma was their little PUSH away from the bad in their lives so they could really live happily. Great characters. I love reading sweet stories that really have meaningful messages that the reader can take away from it. Great read. Must read!!
23 reviews1 follower
September 23, 2015
Awesome read

I love this novel. Four generations of women telling their story together. I really had to make myself put my Kindle down to sleep because I wanted to keep reading. I will be looking for other novels by Carolyn Brown.
Profile Image for Lisa Stewart.
108 reviews1 follower
March 21, 2017
If you want an easy read, this book is for you! I read this as an audiobook and it was fantastic! Four generations of women reveal their innermost secrets and grow with each other along the way! I would highly recommend it!
27 reviews1 follower
November 2, 2016
Happy ever after

Sweet family story, with some revealed hidden secrets. Good family humor, a story of love between mothers and daughters and grandmothers.
34 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2017
Great Book

I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the way it began. The way it suddenly has twists and the ending was great.
39 reviews
January 25, 2017
A sweet story

I so enjoyed reading this sweet story. These four generations of strong women have stories to tell. Sometimes life does not turn out as planned, but even better!
Profile Image for susan shore.
1 review
February 14, 2017
very good read. good family values and friendship

very good read. good family values and , would recommend to others to read. loved the plot twists as well
Displaying 1 - 30 of 640 reviews

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