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Secrets And Lies #2
Shame
Grace:
I never thought my husband would cheat on me. I was wrong.
Now I need to pick up the tattered remnants of my life and figure out how to put one foot in front of the other. How to look at myself in the mirror without seeing my own secrets scrawled there in shameful scarlet.
Luke:
I am exactly the asshole you think I am.
I don’t deserve her. I should walk away. But I can’t let her go without a fight. Too late–too damn late–I’m realizing what I’ve done and everything that I’ve lost. Everything I want back again, or maybe really to have and to hold properly for the first time. In order to stay with Grace and win her back, I’m going to need to storm through fire, over and over again.
This is a standalone novel for Grace and Luke. It is also book two of a two-book duet about two different couples. Also available is Tempt, Sam and Hazel's story.
I never thought my husband would cheat on me. I was wrong.
Now I need to pick up the tattered remnants of my life and figure out how to put one foot in front of the other. How to look at myself in the mirror without seeing my own secrets scrawled there in shameful scarlet.
Luke:
I am exactly the asshole you think I am.
I don’t deserve her. I should walk away. But I can’t let her go without a fight. Too late–too damn late–I’m realizing what I’ve done and everything that I’ve lost. Everything I want back again, or maybe really to have and to hold properly for the first time. In order to stay with Grace and win her back, I’m going to need to storm through fire, over and over again.
This is a standalone novel for Grace and Luke. It is also book two of a two-book duet about two different couples. Also available is Tempt, Sam and Hazel's story.
222 pages, ebook
First published March 30, 2021
258 people are currently reading
826 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 122 reviews
do-not-read-cheating
June 9, 2024SPOILERS COMING…
So. Let me get this straight.
The Zero husband has been cheating on his wife for 2-3 years with ow (he calls her kitten and the ow calls him master). And he DOESNT use condoms either 🥴 (the ow has sought after other husbands too). Apparently. The Zero wants a D/s relationship and can’t have it with his wife, for whatever f’ing reason 🙄
Years before, the h wanted the Zero to spank her and he couldn’t do it.
But he can do it to the ow? 😐
When they separate, the h sends him sexy pictures to win him back 🙄🤦🏻♀️. I caaaant 😒
He’s cheating on her while she’s supporting both of them 😒
Not a winner for me
So. Let me get this straight.
The Zero husband has been cheating on his wife for 2-3 years with ow (he calls her kitten and the ow calls him master). And he DOESNT use condoms either 🥴 (the ow has sought after other husbands too). Apparently. The Zero wants a D/s relationship and can’t have it with his wife, for whatever f’ing reason 🙄
Years before, the h wanted the Zero to spank her and he couldn’t do it.
But he can do it to the ow? 😐
When they separate, the h sends him sexy pictures to win him back 🙄🤦🏻♀️. I caaaant 😒
He’s cheating on her while she’s supporting both of them 😒
Not a winner for me
May 5, 2021
3 STARS
If you're not a fan of cheating books, then stay away. This, my friend, is not for you. But this girl? I'm a sucker for a cheating book done right. Now now, I see you looking at me all judgy like already. What's cheating done right? Cheating is WRONG. What's wrong with you, Lana? Well, I'm not condoning it in real life. But in fiction, if there's a good plot, a good reason for the cheating, and a delicious grovel, I'm all over it.
This book had one of those three things for me. I bought into the reason for the cheating. Luke and Grace have been together for what feels like forever, but work and life have made them strangers to each other. Hidden pain drove to some poor devious, and Grace finds a text on her husband's phone and learns he's been cheating on her. Being a strong empowered woman, she kicks him to the curb. Being a woman that's loved this man since she was in college, makes her vulnerable.
This book had so much potential, but in my opinion missed the mark a bit on the depth. It just wasn't there for me. I wanted to really dive into the Luke's pain and his reason for cheating. And it felt like it was grazed at a surface level, but never fully fleshed out. As it was, it made it difficult to connect to him as a character.
Grace was a wonderfully strong heroine, but I also felt like she forgave him too quickly and easily. I wanted him to grovel. Really truly work for it. And while I certainly felt his regret and his love for her, it wasn't enough.
Did I enjoy it? Yes, I did. Was it flawless? Not quite. But the few issues I had aside, it was still a unique read about a relatable couple with a dose of reality for an imperfect but deep love.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
It’s not my right to claim this yet, and it may not be healthy, but she’s mine. I didn’t see that for too long, I didn’t value that the way I should have, but she is God damned mine.
If you're not a fan of cheating books, then stay away. This, my friend, is not for you. But this girl? I'm a sucker for a cheating book done right. Now now, I see you looking at me all judgy like already. What's cheating done right? Cheating is WRONG. What's wrong with you, Lana? Well, I'm not condoning it in real life. But in fiction, if there's a good plot, a good reason for the cheating, and a delicious grovel, I'm all over it.
This book had one of those three things for me. I bought into the reason for the cheating. Luke and Grace have been together for what feels like forever, but work and life have made them strangers to each other. Hidden pain drove to some poor devious, and Grace finds a text on her husband's phone and learns he's been cheating on her. Being a strong empowered woman, she kicks him to the curb. Being a woman that's loved this man since she was in college, makes her vulnerable.
This book had so much potential, but in my opinion missed the mark a bit on the depth. It just wasn't there for me. I wanted to really dive into the Luke's pain and his reason for cheating. And it felt like it was grazed at a surface level, but never fully fleshed out. As it was, it made it difficult to connect to him as a character.
Grace was a wonderfully strong heroine, but I also felt like she forgave him too quickly and easily. I wanted him to grovel. Really truly work for it. And while I certainly felt his regret and his love for her, it wasn't enough.
Did I enjoy it? Yes, I did. Was it flawless? Not quite. But the few issues I had aside, it was still a unique read about a relatable couple with a dose of reality for an imperfect but deep love.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
April 7, 2021
Maybe my expectations were too high, too much hype, the wait built up the concept in my own mind, but felt somewhat let down by this book.
Cheating husband is caught in chapter 1, after he announces he’s heading out for a thing, the thing is drinks with the OW. His guilt is instantaneous, apparently her knowing is enough for him to change his life. It’s a shame he didn’t think of this before he starts his cheating. It’s unclear exactly how long it has been going on, but it is clear it’s been awhile. He claims it’s just sex, but he’s meeting her for drinks, which indicates it’s not just sex.
They’ve been together since their freshman year of college, it’s 18-20 years later. Their marriage starts to fall apart 3 years prior when his business falls apart due to his brother’s gambling addiction. She holds them together and gets them back on their feet financially. She’s an artist and hubby is resentful-doesn’t like her art and isn’t supportive. It’s fairly clear she’s the stronger personality.
Why does he cheat? Inadequacy maybe, this isn’t really explored. They separate, he goes to therapy, they get tested for STDs, he suggests she date, they get marriage counseling. She admits while he’s checked out of their relationship, she’s explored her sexuality, the internet and erotica come in handy, and discovers her need for Daddy kink. She asks him to take a kink test, turns out he’s a caretaker. Huh?? Really?? Not much of a caretaker over the previous 3 years.
Things workout, they find their HFN and are talking about babies. I’m not sure what exactly I expected, but this one didn’t reach my expectations.
ETA... Downgraded to 2 ⭐️ the more I think about it the worse this one gets.
Cheating husband is caught in chapter 1, after he announces he’s heading out for a thing, the thing is drinks with the OW. His guilt is instantaneous, apparently her knowing is enough for him to change his life. It’s a shame he didn’t think of this before he starts his cheating. It’s unclear exactly how long it has been going on, but it is clear it’s been awhile. He claims it’s just sex, but he’s meeting her for drinks, which indicates it’s not just sex.
They’ve been together since their freshman year of college, it’s 18-20 years later. Their marriage starts to fall apart 3 years prior when his business falls apart due to his brother’s gambling addiction. She holds them together and gets them back on their feet financially. She’s an artist and hubby is resentful-doesn’t like her art and isn’t supportive. It’s fairly clear she’s the stronger personality.
Why does he cheat? Inadequacy maybe, this isn’t really explored. They separate, he goes to therapy, they get tested for STDs, he suggests she date, they get marriage counseling. She admits while he’s checked out of their relationship, she’s explored her sexuality, the internet and erotica come in handy, and discovers her need for Daddy kink. She asks him to take a kink test, turns out he’s a caretaker. Huh?? Really?? Not much of a caretaker over the previous 3 years.
Things workout, they find their HFN and are talking about babies. I’m not sure what exactly I expected, but this one didn’t reach my expectations.
ETA... Downgraded to 2 ⭐️ the more I think about it the worse this one gets.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2021
2.5 Disappointing Stars
I had high hopes for this one, I really did. Wife catches hubby cheating via his text messages and leaves his sorry butt? Sounds right up my ally. I wanted the drama and angst of a cheating book and most importantly, I wanted a grovel of epic proportions.
While the writing overall isn't bad, there wasn't enough depth to the story for me to care. No delving into why he cheated in the first place (at least outside the MMC's own head), no real reflection on what may have been amiss, etc. The addition of the daddy kink element further managed to whitewash the cheating issue and I was ultimately left unsatisfied with the story.
I had high hopes for this one, I really did. Wife catches hubby cheating via his text messages and leaves his sorry butt? Sounds right up my ally. I wanted the drama and angst of a cheating book and most importantly, I wanted a grovel of epic proportions.
While the writing overall isn't bad, there wasn't enough depth to the story for me to care. No delving into why he cheated in the first place (at least outside the MMC's own head), no real reflection on what may have been amiss, etc. The addition of the daddy kink element further managed to whitewash the cheating issue and I was ultimately left unsatisfied with the story.
Read
May 3, 2022This book should be WAY longer to deal with all the drama that it has on it. I skimmed through part of the book so I’m not going to rate it. The writing was good.
Let’s start with how can you redeem a cheating zero who cheated on his school sweetheart/wife for multiple years during 2-3 years (at least that’s what I thought that lasted) he didn’t use condoms with the ow and knew that the ow was with more people… DO U EVEN CARE ABOUT YOUR WIFE??! THE SAME WIFE THAT BROUGHT THE FOOD AND THE RENT TO YOUR HOUSE BC YOUR BROTHER HAD AN ADDICTION AND LOST YOUR MONEY?!! Are you kidding me? It’s hard to redeem someone like that but trying to do it in a Novella and with kinky sex too…
The h was so mad that they had a kinda vanilla dom sum the H and the OW more than the fact that he cheated on her during 2-3 year. I mean I get that she wanted that and he denied to her but gave it to some random OW
Girl dump that stupid shitty beta zero and move on for god's sake... She slept with one guy (supposedly) during the separation and she went on a couple of dates. He stayed celibate and was the one that brought the idea of her dating again. Then the morning after she had sex with OM she is like let's save our marriage. Have any of you heard of STDs?? She is supposed to be all about sex education and sex art... Well idk bro
Anyway there are more drama and drama and I thought he was an asshole
Finally the heroine said WELL WE HAD 2 BAD YEARS OF MARRIAGE BUT WE HAD XX NUMBER OF GOOD ONES… whatever makes you sleep at night sis
Let’s start with how can you redeem a cheating zero who cheated on his school sweetheart/wife for multiple years during 2-3 years (at least that’s what I thought that lasted) he didn’t use condoms with the ow and knew that the ow was with more people… DO U EVEN CARE ABOUT YOUR WIFE??! THE SAME WIFE THAT BROUGHT THE FOOD AND THE RENT TO YOUR HOUSE BC YOUR BROTHER HAD AN ADDICTION AND LOST YOUR MONEY?!! Are you kidding me? It’s hard to redeem someone like that but trying to do it in a Novella and with kinky sex too…
The h was so mad that they had a kinda vanilla dom sum the H and the OW more than the fact that he cheated on her during 2-3 year. I mean I get that she wanted that and he denied to her but gave it to some random OW
Girl dump that stupid shitty beta zero and move on for god's sake... She slept with one guy (supposedly) during the separation and she went on a couple of dates. He stayed celibate and was the one that brought the idea of her dating again. Then the morning after she had sex with OM she is like let's save our marriage. Have any of you heard of STDs?? She is supposed to be all about sex education and sex art... Well idk bro
Anyway there are more drama and drama and I thought he was an asshole
Finally the heroine said WELL WE HAD 2 BAD YEARS OF MARRIAGE BUT WE HAD XX NUMBER OF GOOD ONES… whatever makes you sleep at night sis
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2021
3.5 stars
“...the grief cycle of infidelity is a roller coaster you didn’t ask to be strapped into...”
I found the writing to be so accurate and on point dealing with infidelity. I often struggle reading cheating books from the point that the h forgives the H. However, the journey back to forgiveness was so raw and honest that I believed it and didn’t need to stop reading.
Touch wood-I haven’t had to deal with infidelity from a spouse perspective but have been closely connected to others who have. The author captured the emotions and the confusion and the longing and the roller coaster bi-polar nature of how quickly a new mood can be triggered by a thought, a look, a smell...by anything.
A tough but honest read. An interesting addition of Daddy/Little kink that felt a little like trying to force a jigsaw puzzle piece that was a close match but not perfect. It almost worked but not quite. Otherwise, I thought it was a really solid read.
“...the grief cycle of infidelity is a roller coaster you didn’t ask to be strapped into...”
I found the writing to be so accurate and on point dealing with infidelity. I often struggle reading cheating books from the point that the h forgives the H. However, the journey back to forgiveness was so raw and honest that I believed it and didn’t need to stop reading.
Touch wood-I haven’t had to deal with infidelity from a spouse perspective but have been closely connected to others who have. The author captured the emotions and the confusion and the longing and the roller coaster bi-polar nature of how quickly a new mood can be triggered by a thought, a look, a smell...by anything.
A tough but honest read. An interesting addition of Daddy/Little kink that felt a little like trying to force a jigsaw puzzle piece that was a close match but not perfect. It almost worked but not quite. Otherwise, I thought it was a really solid read.
May 4, 2021
This is my first Ainsley Booth novel, so I don't know if this is her usual narrative style or something she was experimenting with for Shame, but the narrative was simply too sketchy for me to feel any attachment to the protagonists or any angst about the infidelity that tore apart their marriage.
As an example, we learn early on that the OW he has been cheating with for three (?) years was an outside counsel the husband hired to help straighten out the legal mess his investment firm was in after [something to do with his brother's gambling addiction, which I assume was explored in the first book in this series]. Later we're given a flashback to the husband and wife having an argument in bed about how he's treating his brother and about their sex life, then "in the morning I go into the office to meet two lawyers from a new law firm we're considering hiring as outside counsel." Great, clever, subtle, but...that's where the narrative thread ends. There are choices and actions that lead to the start of an affair, but we're not going to see any of those, just the fragility of the marriage that allowed the cheating to happen and the opportunity that walked into his office.
This is particularly unsatisfying considering that the story is narrated from a dual point of view, and the cheater never reflects on the cheating. Even in therapy, his motivation isn't clearly examined. Which is a pity, because one of the best things about the story is the indication of his feeling emasculated by the collapse of his business and his wife stepping up her career as a commercial artist (of erotic sculpture) to stabilize their finances. I imagine the affair as an ego boost and a way to punish her for succeeding when he felt like a failure, but I'll have to be satisfied with just imagining it, because Booth is not going to pin that motivation down.
Although I like how kink was used as a device to illustrate the lack of real intimacy in the marriage, to heighten the betrayal of the infidelity (he wouldn't indulge his wife's desire for kink, but went there with the OW), and to provide a path for re-establishing their bond, I also have to admit that kink doesn't resonate with me and only served to distance me further from the characters, particularly the heroine, who seems to be setting a trap-filled path for the more ignorant hero when she says, "I'm going to say some stuff that makes me sound young, but that's a variable headspace state for me. It comes and it goes, and I'm always Grace....I love our size difference, so if you call me little, I love that, and i like being baby girl, but I don't like any specific references to me being a child or anything like that." So she wants to do Daddy play, but if he does anything to indicate that he sees her as a child, she's going to get creeped out. That feels like a really fine line for a newbie to dance.
Three stars because I can't justify lower or higher. To do either, I would have to decide whether I think this is romance or some other form of fiction and I can't go there right now.
As an example, we learn early on that the OW he has been cheating with for three (?) years was an outside counsel the husband hired to help straighten out the legal mess his investment firm was in after [something to do with his brother's gambling addiction, which I assume was explored in the first book in this series]. Later we're given a flashback to the husband and wife having an argument in bed about how he's treating his brother and about their sex life, then "in the morning I go into the office to meet two lawyers from a new law firm we're considering hiring as outside counsel." Great, clever, subtle, but...that's where the narrative thread ends. There are choices and actions that lead to the start of an affair, but we're not going to see any of those, just the fragility of the marriage that allowed the cheating to happen and the opportunity that walked into his office.
This is particularly unsatisfying considering that the story is narrated from a dual point of view, and the cheater never reflects on the cheating. Even in therapy, his motivation isn't clearly examined. Which is a pity, because one of the best things about the story is the indication of his feeling emasculated by the collapse of his business and his wife stepping up her career as a commercial artist (of erotic sculpture) to stabilize their finances. I imagine the affair as an ego boost and a way to punish her for succeeding when he felt like a failure, but I'll have to be satisfied with just imagining it, because Booth is not going to pin that motivation down.
Although I like how kink was used as a device to illustrate the lack of real intimacy in the marriage, to heighten the betrayal of the infidelity (he wouldn't indulge his wife's desire for kink, but went there with the OW), and to provide a path for re-establishing their bond, I also have to admit that kink doesn't resonate with me and only served to distance me further from the characters, particularly the heroine, who seems to be setting a trap-filled path for the more ignorant hero when she says, "I'm going to say some stuff that makes me sound young, but that's a variable headspace state for me. It comes and it goes, and I'm always Grace....I love our size difference, so if you call me little, I love that, and i like being baby girl, but I don't like any specific references to me being a child or anything like that." So she wants to do Daddy play, but if he does anything to indicate that he sees her as a child, she's going to get creeped out. That feels like a really fine line for a newbie to dance.
Three stars because I can't justify lower or higher. To do either, I would have to decide whether I think this is romance or some other form of fiction and I can't go there right now.
dnf-for-now
November 10, 202011/10/20
LADIES, IT"S HERE!!!!!!! GR sent an email, said its here!!!!! and I hit that link light greased lightening and bam. crickets...........and more crickets...................It's still freaking listed as a pre order. W. T. F. excuse my language.
1/25/19 I AM BEING SO PATIENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really, I am 😁
I'm so anxious for this to come out. I love cheaty, angsty love stories. So Shoot Me. 😛
LADIES, IT"S HERE!!!!!!! GR sent an email, said its here!!!!! and I hit that link light greased lightening and bam. crickets...........and more crickets...................It's still freaking listed as a pre order. W. T. F. excuse my language.
1/25/19 I AM BEING SO PATIENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really, I am 😁
I'm so anxious for this to come out. I love cheaty, angsty love stories. So Shoot Me. 😛
April 7, 2025
This book came off as bland because the whole pivotal
Point- the H cheating for 2-3 years was not emotionally explored. There’s also the OW who we know nothing about. It’s like she’s a prop on a stage set. She might as well be an umbrella for all the angst she brings. This book is a lot of the H being sorry, going to counseling and changing. He was called Master by the ow but he’s not a Dom. Also I found it weird the way the fmcs dd/lg kink was inserted into the story later on. It’s like it almost became the catalyst for The cheating instead of showing the reader why the H was playing at a M/s relationship. This book could have been so good — but there was literally no angst.
Point- the H cheating for 2-3 years was not emotionally explored. There’s also the OW who we know nothing about. It’s like she’s a prop on a stage set. She might as well be an umbrella for all the angst she brings. This book is a lot of the H being sorry, going to counseling and changing. He was called Master by the ow but he’s not a Dom. Also I found it weird the way the fmcs dd/lg kink was inserted into the story later on. It’s like it almost became the catalyst for The cheating instead of showing the reader why the H was playing at a M/s relationship. This book could have been so good — but there was literally no angst.
December 31, 2024
This could have easily been a 5 star read for me if the author actually discussed the matter at hand here. She completely glossed over the cheating. Gave no explanation as to why it even happened. That'll be up to the reader to decide. And did absolutely nothing about the ow who apparently targets married insecure, man child men. Why though? Utter frustration. The h wasn't even that mad either 🤷. Seriously? This shit went on for 2 years. And a Daddy kink was discovered. It's obvious that, that was the most important thing for the author to get across to her audience. Don't get me wrong. I love reading about kinks being unlocked. But this left me wanting to be honest. Disappointed.
Read
May 9, 2023DNF at 37%
I put this on my TBR a couple years ago when my friends were talking about it and finally got around to reading it. It hooked me straightaway with the h catching her hubs cheating, but it quickly fizzled out because no one was talking details, and the OW wasn’t around.
I put this on my TBR a couple years ago when my friends were talking about it and finally got around to reading it. It hooked me straightaway with the h catching her hubs cheating, but it quickly fizzled out because no one was talking details, and the OW wasn’t around.
br-when-it-publishes
December 13, 2018Fucking catnip. Can’t wait. Sorry, SG Ladies :)
March 30, 2021
3.5-3.75 stars
It wasn't as angsty as I expected to be, though it did have some heavily emotional moments. I appreciate the amount of work that Luke had to do to redeem himself with Grace, and I love Grace for being strong and fierce amidst her own heartbreak.
The HEA feels very organic to me.
Pre-read:
Ah, marriage on the rocks, give it to me-
Zoe mentioned this book to me on Twitter because I love angsty romances with married couples and she said about it being full of triggers. I usually didn't like cheating in my romance but I'm very intrigued to see how this all plays out. I expect a loooooot of groveling.
It wasn't as angsty as I expected to be, though it did have some heavily emotional moments. I appreciate the amount of work that Luke had to do to redeem himself with Grace, and I love Grace for being strong and fierce amidst her own heartbreak.
The HEA feels very organic to me.
Pre-read:
Ah, marriage on the rocks, give it to me-
Zoe mentioned this book to me on Twitter because I love angsty romances with married couples and she said about it being full of triggers. I usually didn't like cheating in my romance but I'm very intrigued to see how this all plays out. I expect a loooooot of groveling.
April 1, 2021
I wish the h would have stayed angry and made him wait longer but I feel that she was appropriately angry at the cheating. I needed more closure with the OW what how it all started between them to better understand his head place.
December 10, 2023
I really didn’t like this book. The main couple never had any of the hard conversations that a cheating situation would bring up. The MMC became a simp after he gets busted by some text messages and literally nothing else and the FMC does next to nothing but cry and do art. I was bored.
The cheating reveal happens so easily. They separate by the MMC moving to another apartment in the same building but they see each other nearly every day. The FMC doesn’t really even try to move on. Even though she does date and has sex with some random guy, one time. But she does this with the MMC’s permission, which was just beyond stupid. He literally wrote a letter he planned on posting on whatever social media, advertising that she was free to date with his full support because he f”ked up. What?!?
Of course this never happens. It was just a stupid plot twist that made no logical sense. This book was mostly a blame game of the MMC hiding from anything remotely intimate from his marriage and his life really because he had daddy issues. Ugh. But cheating for three years was okay in his mind. We the reader get NO details on the affair. No closure of how it started, or if he hadn’t gotten busted, was he ever going to end it. All we get was it was just lame s e x with a woman that was offering during a stressful time in his life that he just kept going.
What I got from this book was that the MMC was a zombie since college. He worked with his brother and became successful but he didn’t care about his brother, the business, his wife, his marriage, the OW, or the s e x with either partner, ALL because of his daddy issues. Again, WHAT!?!
So what does this book work on? Kink. This couple works on adding kink to their already broken relationship. And not in much detail either. Just a whole lot of, “I’ll do anything you want because I cheated but I always loved you no matter all the sh!tty behavior I’ve shown you all these years”, from the MMC to the FMC.
This book was highly unsatisfying. They barely have the safe s e x talk. The OW is revealed to be a serial home-wrecker but we never get anymore insight on that situation, just one of the other husband’s wives showing up to tell the FMC (off page) her situation for no apparent reason! If the FMC and the other betrayed wife had banded together to destroy the OW then this would have made sense and might have been fun to read! But NO(!), nothing comes of this! We don’t even get to sit in on the conversation they had. NOTHING, nada, zilch! Ugh. This book was a huge waste of time!
No on page cheating, no hard conversations between the main characters, no OW comeuppance, lame daddy/little exploration, almost no therapy sessions, no dirty secrets revealed during their reconciliation, NOTHING. It was boring. Good luck.
The cheating reveal happens so easily. They separate by the MMC moving to another apartment in the same building but they see each other nearly every day. The FMC doesn’t really even try to move on. Even though she does date and has sex with some random guy, one time. But she does this with the MMC’s permission, which was just beyond stupid. He literally wrote a letter he planned on posting on whatever social media, advertising that she was free to date with his full support because he f”ked up. What?!?
Of course this never happens. It was just a stupid plot twist that made no logical sense. This book was mostly a blame game of the MMC hiding from anything remotely intimate from his marriage and his life really because he had daddy issues. Ugh. But cheating for three years was okay in his mind. We the reader get NO details on the affair. No closure of how it started, or if he hadn’t gotten busted, was he ever going to end it. All we get was it was just lame s e x with a woman that was offering during a stressful time in his life that he just kept going.
What I got from this book was that the MMC was a zombie since college. He worked with his brother and became successful but he didn’t care about his brother, the business, his wife, his marriage, the OW, or the s e x with either partner, ALL because of his daddy issues. Again, WHAT!?!
So what does this book work on? Kink. This couple works on adding kink to their already broken relationship. And not in much detail either. Just a whole lot of, “I’ll do anything you want because I cheated but I always loved you no matter all the sh!tty behavior I’ve shown you all these years”, from the MMC to the FMC.
This book was highly unsatisfying. They barely have the safe s e x talk. The OW is revealed to be a serial home-wrecker but we never get anymore insight on that situation, just one of the other husband’s wives showing up to tell the FMC (off page) her situation for no apparent reason! If the FMC and the other betrayed wife had banded together to destroy the OW then this would have made sense and might have been fun to read! But NO(!), nothing comes of this! We don’t even get to sit in on the conversation they had. NOTHING, nada, zilch! Ugh. This book was a huge waste of time!
No on page cheating, no hard conversations between the main characters, no OW comeuppance, lame daddy/little exploration, almost no therapy sessions, no dirty secrets revealed during their reconciliation, NOTHING. It was boring. Good luck.
April 7, 2021
After long delays was expecting way more from this "book". This was short being under 200 pages considering the subject. Story felt very flat, no real reason for cheating and kick ass h lasted for just a min. when she kicked H out but he moved into apt in same building to which she was constantly showing up to confront him. We know very little of why cheated, OW or how but from we know the H/OW had pet names for each other even though he kept insisting it was al meaningless smh.
Still disappointed after finishing book days ago. I really expected more - more angst, more details, more everything but this one left me very flat after waiting so long.
Still disappointed after finishing book days ago. I really expected more - more angst, more details, more everything but this one left me very flat after waiting so long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2022
Absolute ridiculous. The only reason i finished it was because it was only 150 pages. I thought it was going to be an angsty marriage in crisis story but it was soo bad. It got worst at the end when it focused on “daddy kinks” like WHAT LOL. She really forgave him for cheating that quickly all because she didn’t want to be alone and he was willing to be more adventurous in bed….. Like okay?? He was literally cheating for 3 years and she still took him back. Even when she “left” him, they saw each other every day and he still lived in the same building as her.
March 30, 2021
So I’m on chapter 20, not finished the book yet, and Grace says to Luke “until I found out about your affair, you really struggled with how you felt about my body” and he acknowledges that it’s true, but I don’t get it because throughout the whole book he keeps thinking to himself how beautiful and petite she is, so why did he struggle with her body?? Was he not attracted to her anymore?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
DNF. I got to 62% and just couldn't do it. This is one hot ass mess. WTF was this?
Read
March 28, 2021Three years after I first had the idea for this book, it's finally here! My alter-ego doesn't check Goodreads, but I do, so let me tell you a few things about Grace's story: it's complicated, it's imperfect, it's embarrassingly hot in places, and she gets the HEA she wants.
The blurb is pretty explicit about how the book starts. A detailed content warning is listed on my Ainsley website (https://www.ainsleybooth.com/secrets-...), and here under a spoiler cut:
The blurb is pretty explicit about how the book starts. A detailed content warning is listed on my Ainsley website (https://www.ainsleybooth.com/secrets-...), and here under a spoiler cut:
March 30, 2021
Could have been
Really different book...the subject matter doesn't bother as I do believe two people can overcome adultry as its far more prevalent than what most would believe; however this book looks at a small snippet of a relationship between the time of betrayal and the road to redemption and understanding. What bothered me, was the lack of understanding of the characters; how they got to where they are; how they started their relationship so many years ago. They both felt "cold" to me as I always felt I was an outsider reading this story, it never invested me in the characters. In fact, I have to wonder did the author want the audience to like Luke? I found it difficult to find him warm (or even Grace) as his character flaws out shone his positive aspects (did he have any true redeeming qualities?!?). In fact, Grace called him at one point a "man child". Maybe this wasn't intended at a love story, because it certainly was not. Perhaps, it's reflective of the real life we have outside of books....
Really different book...the subject matter doesn't bother as I do believe two people can overcome adultry as its far more prevalent than what most would believe; however this book looks at a small snippet of a relationship between the time of betrayal and the road to redemption and understanding. What bothered me, was the lack of understanding of the characters; how they got to where they are; how they started their relationship so many years ago. They both felt "cold" to me as I always felt I was an outsider reading this story, it never invested me in the characters. In fact, I have to wonder did the author want the audience to like Luke? I found it difficult to find him warm (or even Grace) as his character flaws out shone his positive aspects (did he have any true redeeming qualities?!?). In fact, Grace called him at one point a "man child". Maybe this wasn't intended at a love story, because it certainly was not. Perhaps, it's reflective of the real life we have outside of books....
April 7, 2021
Disappointing
After meeting Grace, and to a lesser extent Luke, in the first book in the series, I was looking forward to their story, but was disappointed. Nothing happens that we don't know about from the blurb. He cheats, she catches him, she's devastated, he's determined to get her back. But here's the deal----she catches him, and he suddenly realizes that he's hurt her. You think?? He's been hurting her for years, why the sudden epiphany? They separate. They do counseling. They move their chairs. The reader is teased again about a kink club, but we never see it. There is a snippet about the other woman being a serial home wrecker, but nothing happens with that, either. It's just a lot of inside the characters heads angst. Disappointing book, disappointing series. Much ado about nothing much.
After meeting Grace, and to a lesser extent Luke, in the first book in the series, I was looking forward to their story, but was disappointed. Nothing happens that we don't know about from the blurb. He cheats, she catches him, she's devastated, he's determined to get her back. But here's the deal----she catches him, and he suddenly realizes that he's hurt her. You think?? He's been hurting her for years, why the sudden epiphany? They separate. They do counseling. They move their chairs. The reader is teased again about a kink club, but we never see it. There is a snippet about the other woman being a serial home wrecker, but nothing happens with that, either. It's just a lot of inside the characters heads angst. Disappointing book, disappointing series. Much ado about nothing much.
January 4, 2025
So this book had alternating POVs between the betrayed wife and the cheating husband that read like posts in infidelity subreddits:
1. Support for betrayed Partners:
My husband is pulling away from me; we are barely intimate although he maintains he loves me more then anything. He comes home late at night, I think he's cheating.
2. Support for Wayward Partners:
I love my wife, she's my everything but I can't see her as a sexual being. My mistress takes on that role. I've been with her for a few years and it's just a physical relationship, no emotional strings. I only love my wife but I could never see her as kinky.
I did think the novella was entertaining and well paced.
1. Support for betrayed Partners:
My husband is pulling away from me; we are barely intimate although he maintains he loves me more then anything. He comes home late at night, I think he's cheating.
2. Support for Wayward Partners:
I love my wife, she's my everything but I can't see her as a sexual being. My mistress takes on that role. I've been with her for a few years and it's just a physical relationship, no emotional strings. I only love my wife but I could never see her as kinky.
I did think the novella was entertaining and well paced.
April 1, 2021
Ainsley Booth’s Shame took me back to the year I lived in a friend’s house while she and her husband were grappling with his infidelity. I was not the person harmed, of course, but it was a strange situation navigating the intense emotions and trying to be supportive without being a prop. Reading Shame was a catharsis I didn’t know I needed. It’s angsty, painful, and very messy, but ultimately kind and healing.
Booth prioritizes Grace over Luke, though they both have POV sections. Throughout Shame, Grace is allowed to have whatever feelings she is having. She’s allowed to be angry, sad, mean, vindictive, compassionate, embarrassed, and horny. She gets to feel the way she feels and it’s clear that she has not been allowed to do that for a lot of the marriage. We do see Luke work on himself, because Grace deserves a partner who will fix themselves and not make her do all the work. But even when we are in Luke’s POV, the focus is Grace.
There are a couple of moments that made me want to hug my kindle since I can’t teleport to Canada and hug the author. In one Luke is trying to tell her he wants to fight for their marriage with her. She tells him he’s going to have to do the fighting on his own because she has fought for their marriage by herself for so long. In another moment, Grace tells Luke that she doesn’t want him to be gentle, she wants him to be safe. She wants him to truly be the person she can be herself with in any situation, not just a performance of being supportive. Luke has been overly concerned with appearances and Grace is no longer interested in the appearance of a good marriage. If Luke can’t give her substance, she doesn’t want it. She doesn’t need gentleness, or to orgasm first, she needs a partner who will accept, love, and desire her as she is and as she may become.
Shame is the driver of Luke’s self destructive behavior. Because he can’t deal with his own shame monster he becomes the monster in the lives of his wife, brother and best friend. He stopped seeing other people as their full selves and was used anger to enforce their roles in his life. Part of undoing that damage is Luke creating the space in his life for Grace to be sexual in the way she wants to be sexual. The book gets into some kink, and it’s a mark of Luke’s progress when he allows himself to be uncomfortable and turned on. If you are looking for a grovel that pays off with forgiveness, you won’t find it here. Luke tries a grovel, but Grace isn’t interested. Instead he has to be present, invested, and willing to let Grace go.
I could write at least five essays about the layers in Shame. It’s an enjoyable read with a rich text, which is exactly my kind of thing. I loved this one for everything it was and for the many things it could have been but chose not to be. It’s a redemption story that focuses on the harmed.
I received this as an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Booth prioritizes Grace over Luke, though they both have POV sections. Throughout Shame, Grace is allowed to have whatever feelings she is having. She’s allowed to be angry, sad, mean, vindictive, compassionate, embarrassed, and horny. She gets to feel the way she feels and it’s clear that she has not been allowed to do that for a lot of the marriage. We do see Luke work on himself, because Grace deserves a partner who will fix themselves and not make her do all the work. But even when we are in Luke’s POV, the focus is Grace.
There are a couple of moments that made me want to hug my kindle since I can’t teleport to Canada and hug the author. In one Luke is trying to tell her he wants to fight for their marriage with her. She tells him he’s going to have to do the fighting on his own because she has fought for their marriage by herself for so long. In another moment, Grace tells Luke that she doesn’t want him to be gentle, she wants him to be safe. She wants him to truly be the person she can be herself with in any situation, not just a performance of being supportive. Luke has been overly concerned with appearances and Grace is no longer interested in the appearance of a good marriage. If Luke can’t give her substance, she doesn’t want it. She doesn’t need gentleness, or to orgasm first, she needs a partner who will accept, love, and desire her as she is and as she may become.
Shame is the driver of Luke’s self destructive behavior. Because he can’t deal with his own shame monster he becomes the monster in the lives of his wife, brother and best friend. He stopped seeing other people as their full selves and was used anger to enforce their roles in his life. Part of undoing that damage is Luke creating the space in his life for Grace to be sexual in the way she wants to be sexual. The book gets into some kink, and it’s a mark of Luke’s progress when he allows himself to be uncomfortable and turned on. If you are looking for a grovel that pays off with forgiveness, you won’t find it here. Luke tries a grovel, but Grace isn’t interested. Instead he has to be present, invested, and willing to let Grace go.
I could write at least five essays about the layers in Shame. It’s an enjoyable read with a rich text, which is exactly my kind of thing. I loved this one for everything it was and for the many things it could have been but chose not to be. It’s a redemption story that focuses on the harmed.
I received this as an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2021
ARC received for review
I almost didn't request this because I lived it and it wasn't fun. In the end my enjoyment of Ms. Booth's books won out. She is an amazing job with a hard subject and Grace & Luke got their HEA. There were rough spots and set backs, but in the end true love wins with some kink thrown in. Plus there's a bonus epilogue you can request that's my favorite kind (4 of them spaced out over the next 18 years). I just wish there was one for his brother's story. I still want their friend Alex to get a story.
I almost didn't request this because I lived it and it wasn't fun. In the end my enjoyment of Ms. Booth's books won out. She is an amazing job with a hard subject and Grace & Luke got their HEA. There were rough spots and set backs, but in the end true love wins with some kink thrown in. Plus there's a bonus epilogue you can request that's my favorite kind (4 of them spaced out over the next 18 years). I just wish there was one for his brother's story. I still want their friend Alex to get a story.
April 8, 2021
This book definitely won’t be for everyone - but if you’re open to a story about regrets, pain and growth then I definitely recommend.
There’s cheating in this book (obviously) and it’s brutal, but for me it wasn’t my focus in the overall story. I loved how raw and vulnerable both characters were. How honest and broken they allowed themselves to be.
There’s exploration of desires and kink and two people in love trying to re-find their HEA.
I received an arc of this book.
There’s cheating in this book (obviously) and it’s brutal, but for me it wasn’t my focus in the overall story. I loved how raw and vulnerable both characters were. How honest and broken they allowed themselves to be.
There’s exploration of desires and kink and two people in love trying to re-find their HEA.
I received an arc of this book.
nfmaa
January 2, 2025Note to self
Cheaters don't deserve redemption in my ROMANCE BOOK, if you loved and respected your spouse you wouldn't have cheated 🤷🏿♀️
Then she's the one trying to get him back?????? Girllllllllll he'll cheat again in the epilogue 🙄
Cheaters don't deserve redemption in my ROMANCE BOOK, if you loved and respected your spouse you wouldn't have cheated 🤷🏿♀️
Then she's the one trying to get him back?????? Girllllllllll he'll cheat again in the epilogue 🙄
Read
April 8, 2021Are we sure this author is still alive???
April 2, 2021
I didn’t like this book at all. It felt incomplete. What did the letter he wrote to the OW say? Did I miss it? I didn’t like the hero or the heroine.
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