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The Secret Keeper #1
The Secret Keeper
Peyton Stratford is her family’s unofficial keeper of all things secret, from the petty and mundane to the potentially life-changing. But Peyton is keeping a secret of her own. And it’s a doozy.
Pastor Brice Northam is used to hearing secrets. After all, it’s part of his job description. But he’s about to hear one that’s going to challenge him almost as much as his feelings for the person confessing.
Peyton needs some serious help from Brice, but how much does she dare tell him? And what, exactly, is Brice hiding from Peyton—and himself? Clearly they both have some serious soul-searching to do. But maybe, just maybe, the answer to secrets isn’t silence. Or more secrets.
Maybe it’s love.
* * *
Note: While the Secret Keeper series does feature some characters who are Christian (the hero is a pastor, so that’s a dead giveaway), it is not a Christian romance in the traditional sense, and some characters find themselves in adult situations and using strong language. Not that the pastor approves! But he’s fallen in love with a complex, modern woman whose life is anything but predictable. If you think you could too, then dive in. Bring your sense of humor and your compassion, and then hold on for the emotional ride of your life!
Pastor Brice Northam is used to hearing secrets. After all, it’s part of his job description. But he’s about to hear one that’s going to challenge him almost as much as his feelings for the person confessing.
Peyton needs some serious help from Brice, but how much does she dare tell him? And what, exactly, is Brice hiding from Peyton—and himself? Clearly they both have some serious soul-searching to do. But maybe, just maybe, the answer to secrets isn’t silence. Or more secrets.
Maybe it’s love.
* * *
Note: While the Secret Keeper series does feature some characters who are Christian (the hero is a pastor, so that’s a dead giveaway), it is not a Christian romance in the traditional sense, and some characters find themselves in adult situations and using strong language. Not that the pastor approves! But he’s fallen in love with a complex, modern woman whose life is anything but predictable. If you think you could too, then dive in. Bring your sense of humor and your compassion, and then hold on for the emotional ride of your life!
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 23, 2013
563 people are currently reading
738 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 28, 2012
After reading that terrible Fifty Shades book it was nice to read a book about a God centered relationship. Many of the people in my life reading Fifty Shades all themselves Catholics and yet I seriously doubt they would want their pastor reading such a book. Imagine a man who doesn't curse at the woman he loves and respects her knowing that he can't change her. What a concept!
October 14, 2019
**I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op in exchange for an honest review**
I requested this book from NetGalley on a whim and later realized it is a Christian themed love book which I'm not typically a big fan of. However, since I was provided a copy I had to give it a shot and tried to keep an open mind going into the story. The Secret Keeper is the first book in a series of six, and as it is also said on the book description by the author, it is not your typical "Christian Romance" and there is lots of talk about sex and swearing and although there definitely is a religious aspect to the story, it's not too much to make you feel overwhelmed if you're not into that kind of fiction. I enjoyed the author's writing style; it was quick paced and easy.
The story revolves around a young woman (Peyton) who is the secret keeper in her family and finds it a burden, has a potty mouth, makes lots of poor choices, and has her own secrets. I found her a very frustrating character with her constantly changing emotions and it directly affected how I feel about this book. The story started out fun and interesting, but it kind of didn't work for me after I read about one third of it. The family dynamics, the choices of characters, the language and just the overall vibe turned me off. I will not be reading the sequels.
I requested this book from NetGalley on a whim and later realized it is a Christian themed love book which I'm not typically a big fan of. However, since I was provided a copy I had to give it a shot and tried to keep an open mind going into the story. The Secret Keeper is the first book in a series of six, and as it is also said on the book description by the author, it is not your typical "Christian Romance" and there is lots of talk about sex and swearing and although there definitely is a religious aspect to the story, it's not too much to make you feel overwhelmed if you're not into that kind of fiction. I enjoyed the author's writing style; it was quick paced and easy.
The story revolves around a young woman (Peyton) who is the secret keeper in her family and finds it a burden, has a potty mouth, makes lots of poor choices, and has her own secrets. I found her a very frustrating character with her constantly changing emotions and it directly affected how I feel about this book. The story started out fun and interesting, but it kind of didn't work for me after I read about one third of it. The family dynamics, the choices of characters, the language and just the overall vibe turned me off. I will not be reading the sequels.
February 27, 2012
Literally read this in less than 24 hours! I could not put it down! The characters were so well written, and the storyline was amazing! Great read! I am off to read the next one in the series! :)
July 8, 2013
The Secret is Out! This is a Fabulous Book!
As I’m an avid fan of women’s fiction, a friend suggested I might enjoy the works of an up-and-coming author by the name of Brea Brown. I started THE SECRET KEEPER and quickly discovered I couldn’t put it down. The novel, a delightful romp into the world of romance, realism, and religion, is told exclusively from the heroine Peyton’s point of view. While Peyton’s heart and soul are in the right place, her personality, position, and an unexpected pregnancy (no, I’m not divulging secrets ~ that bombshell shows up on page one) land her in a world of problems with the people in her life… who aren’t exactly the slightest bit cooperative. When Peyton seeks a sympathetic ear in her family’s pastor, Brice, she discovers a little more than she went searching for. The two of them prove an odd pair thrown together by a set of circumstances that lead to a fascinating foray of self-discovery for all involved.
Ms. Brown is a gifted author with a unique voice and a talent for portraying true-to-life characters who find themselves landed in true-to-life situations. She does not pull punches, nor does she mince words. THE SECRET KEEPER cannot be labeled inspirational fiction. It contains language that one surely would never hear within the confines of a church. What Ms. Brown does offer is a wickedly funny novel that portrays a story of vulnerability and heartache, of wounded people searching for redemption, and a realistic view of life: the good, the bad and the ugly. But isn’t that what life is all about? People’s lives are touched and changed forever by the choices they make. And while I’m not about to divulge any secrets about the plot (read it for yourself and see!), I will freely admit I fell head over heels in love with the characters in Brown’s novel, and with the sweet sassy style of her writing. Bravo, Ms. Brown, for such a delicious read! I’m looking forward to Book Two in the series, THE SECRET KEEPER CONFINED.
As I’m an avid fan of women’s fiction, a friend suggested I might enjoy the works of an up-and-coming author by the name of Brea Brown. I started THE SECRET KEEPER and quickly discovered I couldn’t put it down. The novel, a delightful romp into the world of romance, realism, and religion, is told exclusively from the heroine Peyton’s point of view. While Peyton’s heart and soul are in the right place, her personality, position, and an unexpected pregnancy (no, I’m not divulging secrets ~ that bombshell shows up on page one) land her in a world of problems with the people in her life… who aren’t exactly the slightest bit cooperative. When Peyton seeks a sympathetic ear in her family’s pastor, Brice, she discovers a little more than she went searching for. The two of them prove an odd pair thrown together by a set of circumstances that lead to a fascinating foray of self-discovery for all involved.
Ms. Brown is a gifted author with a unique voice and a talent for portraying true-to-life characters who find themselves landed in true-to-life situations. She does not pull punches, nor does she mince words. THE SECRET KEEPER cannot be labeled inspirational fiction. It contains language that one surely would never hear within the confines of a church. What Ms. Brown does offer is a wickedly funny novel that portrays a story of vulnerability and heartache, of wounded people searching for redemption, and a realistic view of life: the good, the bad and the ugly. But isn’t that what life is all about? People’s lives are touched and changed forever by the choices they make. And while I’m not about to divulge any secrets about the plot (read it for yourself and see!), I will freely admit I fell head over heels in love with the characters in Brown’s novel, and with the sweet sassy style of her writing. Bravo, Ms. Brown, for such a delicious read! I’m looking forward to Book Two in the series, THE SECRET KEEPER CONFINED.
December 4, 2013
This book has been sitting on my Kindle for a very long time and I am so glad it finally reached the top of my TBR because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having already read and loved Daydreamer by the author, I am now officially a fan of Brea Brown.
I was raised Jewish and so I was a little nervous that I would not be able to connect with a book so immersed in the Lutheran religion and with a pastor as one of the main characters but my fears were unwarranted. The characters in this book were not defined by religion at all; they were regular people who just happen to be Lutheran and attend church on Sundays. And my favorite character was actually Brice, the pastor. I really had a thing for him. The family issues in this book were relatable and believable and the banter between the characters rang true and made me laugh a lot. The author is extremely witty! I found Peyton to be a sympathetic character and I especially liked the relationship she had with her brother Jason. He wasn't a main character but their scenes together were touching.
At the beginning of the book Peyton, the main character, is taken for granted by her family. Her mother, sister etc. are constantly chewing her ear about their own issues and confiding their secrets in her but no one seemed too concerned about Peyton and what was going on in HER life and it bothered me. I really wanted Peyton to stand up for herself and the character development in that regard was great but it took Peyton dealing with her own secret to get to that point. And once the secret came out, Peyton's family was anything but supportive. It physically pained me to read those scenes but not in a bad way because it meant I was vested in the characters. I was especially excited to see how the love story played out and I was not disappointed.
It might take me a very long time to complete The Secret Keeper series but I will definitely get to it in time...
I was raised Jewish and so I was a little nervous that I would not be able to connect with a book so immersed in the Lutheran religion and with a pastor as one of the main characters but my fears were unwarranted. The characters in this book were not defined by religion at all; they were regular people who just happen to be Lutheran and attend church on Sundays. And my favorite character was actually Brice, the pastor. I really had a thing for him. The family issues in this book were relatable and believable and the banter between the characters rang true and made me laugh a lot. The author is extremely witty! I found Peyton to be a sympathetic character and I especially liked the relationship she had with her brother Jason. He wasn't a main character but their scenes together were touching.
At the beginning of the book Peyton, the main character, is taken for granted by her family. Her mother, sister etc. are constantly chewing her ear about their own issues and confiding their secrets in her but no one seemed too concerned about Peyton and what was going on in HER life and it bothered me. I really wanted Peyton to stand up for herself and the character development in that regard was great but it took Peyton dealing with her own secret to get to that point. And once the secret came out, Peyton's family was anything but supportive. It physically pained me to read those scenes but not in a bad way because it meant I was vested in the characters. I was especially excited to see how the love story played out and I was not disappointed.
It might take me a very long time to complete The Secret Keeper series but I will definitely get to it in time...
October 4, 2019
This book introduced me to a world I know nothing about and for this alone it was fascinating. Peyton is the secret keeper in her family nd finds it a burden. But she too has secrets because she is having sexual relationships and has found herself pregnant to a man she despises. This is hard enough. ut Peyton comes from a family of strict Christians - Lutherans- nd sex before marriage is forbidden. While she struggles with her faith and her family ties, and her impending motherhood, a further complication develops as she gets very close to her family Pastor.
I found it interesting to be led through the emotional turmoils of people who believe that sex outside marriage is sinful.. people who believe that their family and community ties give them the right to condemn behaviours which for much of society are totally normal. The inner conflicts of someone who wants to be good and honorable but who is not sure what she - or he believes in.
I found the book fascinating even if it stretched my credulity.I know this may be the situation of many young women in the USA but I found it almost like science fiction. I laughed at some of the descriptions and I had a lot of sympathy with the heroine even while I found her frustratingly ready to be bossed about by Pastor.
Definitely would consider reading the sequels.
I found it interesting to be led through the emotional turmoils of people who believe that sex outside marriage is sinful.. people who believe that their family and community ties give them the right to condemn behaviours which for much of society are totally normal. The inner conflicts of someone who wants to be good and honorable but who is not sure what she - or he believes in.
I found the book fascinating even if it stretched my credulity.I know this may be the situation of many young women in the USA but I found it almost like science fiction. I laughed at some of the descriptions and I had a lot of sympathy with the heroine even while I found her frustratingly ready to be bossed about by Pastor.
Definitely would consider reading the sequels.
September 20, 2013
Brea Brown's writing is so down-to-earth and funny, it's a pleasure to pick up one of her books at the end of the day. What I liked most about this story is that the characters were not only likable, but consistent. Sometimes I get annoyed when characters continually behave in nonsensical ways just to create drama. As Peyton went through her trials, her actions were not only comical, but believable. I would like to have seen a more in-depth resolution between Peyton and her father. Given their history, I was kind of surprised he was such a big jerk, and I felt he should have been there for Peyton after what she went through. Brice, the boy-next-door pastor, was adorable, and his confession to Peyton about Secret at the end of the story got me a little misty when I wasn't expecting it.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these characters.
December 27, 2021
it's based on realism and there were highly emotion-packed parts which made my heart shudder to the core.
The problem in being the secret keeper of your own family is, whatever is going on and whatever is going to happen it's all on you bcoz whenever you become a part of a secret you also become responsible for the consequences of that secret. You keep it to yourself or reveal to others in both cases you are becoming responsible for the chaos for someone or everyone.
Because family secrets aren't like any other secret where we can take advantage. The family secrets are those flimsy threads in your hand which if you pull wrongly or give too much loose to them; they ultimately make a trap which chokes every relation of the family which ties with it.
Basically the story is about Peyton 's decision making in her life and how its consequences for her and people around her; and how she gradually learns from her mistakes and grows like a better person in her life. Now the question is what secret she is hiding from her family and what will happen when the brobdingnagian secret comes out her mouth? Whom she is going to choose ultimately? Is it going to be Drex, the cool funny guy with tattoos who is completely oblivious of her secret or It is going to be the Pastor Brice, who always stands with and for her? And if it's Brice, how the modern woman, Peyton, is going to handle the hurricane which comes with it?
Review
The Secret Keeper by Brea Brown is really funny, entertaining and it's based on realism and there were highly emotion-packed parts which made my heart shudder to the core. Seeing Peyton going through the coldest moment of her life all by herself was heart wrenching to me. Everyone loves romance drama and the dilemma which comes along with it. The family drama was real, it doesn't matter if you are a Christian or not, you are going to relate with the story of the book. It's concept is to teach the value of that one special person who loves and respects you without any judgments and conditions. My favorite part of the book is when Brice confesses his true feelings about Peyton 's secret.
Recommendation
If you are fan of romance and love drama and love to read a story through a woman's viewpoint narrative then you are going to love this book. But if you are looking for a typical Christian fiction then it can hurt your feelings as it has profane language and descriptions of sex and make-outs, so if these things bother you then you shouldn't read or better not blame me or author if you do so. If this review or the storyline of the book makes you compulsive to read the book then grab your copy and read. Don't forget to tell me later what you like in the book.
To read the full review of the book, check our blog. https://bucketfulread.blogspot.com/?m=1
The problem in being the secret keeper of your own family is, whatever is going on and whatever is going to happen it's all on you bcoz whenever you become a part of a secret you also become responsible for the consequences of that secret. You keep it to yourself or reveal to others in both cases you are becoming responsible for the chaos for someone or everyone.
Because family secrets aren't like any other secret where we can take advantage. The family secrets are those flimsy threads in your hand which if you pull wrongly or give too much loose to them; they ultimately make a trap which chokes every relation of the family which ties with it.
Basically the story is about Peyton 's decision making in her life and how its consequences for her and people around her; and how she gradually learns from her mistakes and grows like a better person in her life. Now the question is what secret she is hiding from her family and what will happen when the brobdingnagian secret comes out her mouth? Whom she is going to choose ultimately? Is it going to be Drex, the cool funny guy with tattoos who is completely oblivious of her secret or It is going to be the Pastor Brice, who always stands with and for her? And if it's Brice, how the modern woman, Peyton, is going to handle the hurricane which comes with it?
Review
The Secret Keeper by Brea Brown is really funny, entertaining and it's based on realism and there were highly emotion-packed parts which made my heart shudder to the core. Seeing Peyton going through the coldest moment of her life all by herself was heart wrenching to me. Everyone loves romance drama and the dilemma which comes along with it. The family drama was real, it doesn't matter if you are a Christian or not, you are going to relate with the story of the book. It's concept is to teach the value of that one special person who loves and respects you without any judgments and conditions. My favorite part of the book is when Brice confesses his true feelings about Peyton 's secret.
Recommendation
If you are fan of romance and love drama and love to read a story through a woman's viewpoint narrative then you are going to love this book. But if you are looking for a typical Christian fiction then it can hurt your feelings as it has profane language and descriptions of sex and make-outs, so if these things bother you then you shouldn't read or better not blame me or author if you do so. If this review or the storyline of the book makes you compulsive to read the book then grab your copy and read. Don't forget to tell me later what you like in the book.
To read the full review of the book, check our blog. https://bucketfulread.blogspot.com/?m=1
June 28, 2014
Carrying Brea Brown's signature wit and high quality storytelling skills, THE SECRET KEEPER far surpassed my expectations.
When Peyton finds herself in trouble, she doesn't know where to turn--even though she's spent a lifetime being the keeper of secrets for her family. Following the advice her parents gave her when she was younger, she seeks out her pastor, who happens to be the adorable Pastor Brice. While trying to ignore her growing feelings for the kind and funny young man and deal with the big secret in her life, Peyton was easy to cheer for throughout the whole story.
With plenty of unexpected to twists, moments of laugh-out-loud joy mixed with heart-wrenching scenes, THE SECRET KEEPER is a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down story about an ordinary woman going through circumstances that are anything but ordinary.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
When Peyton finds herself in trouble, she doesn't know where to turn--even though she's spent a lifetime being the keeper of secrets for her family. Following the advice her parents gave her when she was younger, she seeks out her pastor, who happens to be the adorable Pastor Brice. While trying to ignore her growing feelings for the kind and funny young man and deal with the big secret in her life, Peyton was easy to cheer for throughout the whole story.
With plenty of unexpected to twists, moments of laugh-out-loud joy mixed with heart-wrenching scenes, THE SECRET KEEPER is a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down story about an ordinary woman going through circumstances that are anything but ordinary.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
September 15, 2013
Holy stellar fiction, Batman!
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first started reading The Secret Keeper, but I was hooked right away. I found Peyton to be fun and spunky with a touch of bravado that made her utterly relatable. I loved reading her story, which encompassed so much from the dynamics between families, friends and communities to Peyton's struggle to maintain her identity and many things in between, including some funny, lighthearted scenes with her girlfriends.
This book made me smile (a lot) and it also made me cry, which hasn't happened in ages, and to me, this is certainly indicative of some powerful writing.
And as for Pastor Brice... let's just say I'm thinking maybe I should start going to church! :-)
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first started reading The Secret Keeper, but I was hooked right away. I found Peyton to be fun and spunky with a touch of bravado that made her utterly relatable. I loved reading her story, which encompassed so much from the dynamics between families, friends and communities to Peyton's struggle to maintain her identity and many things in between, including some funny, lighthearted scenes with her girlfriends.
This book made me smile (a lot) and it also made me cry, which hasn't happened in ages, and to me, this is certainly indicative of some powerful writing.
And as for Pastor Brice... let's just say I'm thinking maybe I should start going to church! :-)
February 13, 2016
Very cute and entertaining with quite a lot of meaningful food for thought hidden within. Good enough to make me go straight to number 2 in the series and find out more about these people and how their lives turn out. Author claims it is not Christian fiction so I'll say it has a few points to ponder in a realistic-ish look at trying your best while being bombarded with the ways accepted and expected in society today. I liked Peyton a lot, warts and all.
March 19, 2012
Very enjoyable. Quick paced, likable romantic story. Surprises here and there add to the story quite well. Would recommend and read this author again.
April 18, 2012
This was an easy read with realistic characters and dialogue. I enjoyed it.
June 2, 2012
Really liked this book. First time I read something by Brea Brown. I immediately downloaded The Secret Keeper Confined to my Kindle!
June 22, 2012
Found this book free on amazon, so picked it up. Amazing author. Realistic characters, great story. The sequels are good too.. although I'm only 10 chapters into the 3d..
July 1, 2012
First in a series of feel good books. It was interesting to read a book whose characters were religious but real.
July 7, 2012
Wish I could give more stars!!!
August 24, 2012
I really loved this book, it is a very quick read (2 days). I really liked the feel good story line and couldn't wait to dive into book #2.
October 24, 2012
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this book - and I'm Agnostic! I thought it was really well written and very believable. I already downloaded the 2nd book.
November 24, 2012
this would have been SO much more enjoyable without all of the terrible language. why ruin a good story with swearing and sex?
August 22, 2013
funny, charming, and just a great read!
May 9, 2014
The Secret Keeper is a fun, funny, feel good and down to earth read. Loved it! And I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
April 7, 2012
really enjoyed this book - wished there wax more to it
May 29, 2020
cute quick read
i actually liked it quite a lot when i started it, but unfortunately, i ended up not enjoying the second half or so. i always have a problem with putting two people together that have completely incompatible world views, life goals, etc. i don't get why people irl do that and i don't like it in books either, because someone always has to sacrifice and adapt and like??? that's not romantic imo, it's sad. like.. brice could very well just look for a quirky church girl on christian tinder and peyton could just keep casually dating guys. i was quite fond of them in the beginning but peyton was genuinely upset about the whole sex and marriage thing later on (which in general is totally fine) and it made me feel uncomfortable about the relationship. anyway, i'm rambling. it's just a matter of personal taste, i guess.
what i did enjoy tho was the exploration of the family dynamic. that was very well done and i wish we'd gotten more time with Jason (although i completely understand why he was in the background. i just think he's cool).
tbh i just picked this up because i was bored and i liked the title, so i didn't know it'd involve religion. i'm an atheist so idk if all the church stuff was objectively done well, but i didn't mind it personally
also, jen and jason were clearly the ones with brain cells and i love them both.
TW for the r-slur
in case you wanna skip that part:
i actually liked it quite a lot when i started it, but unfortunately, i ended up not enjoying the second half or so. i always have a problem with putting two people together that have completely incompatible world views, life goals, etc. i don't get why people irl do that and i don't like it in books either, because someone always has to sacrifice and adapt and like??? that's not romantic imo, it's sad. like.. brice could very well just look for a quirky church girl on christian tinder and peyton could just keep casually dating guys. i was quite fond of them in the beginning but peyton was genuinely upset about the whole sex and marriage thing later on (which in general is totally fine) and it made me feel uncomfortable about the relationship. anyway, i'm rambling. it's just a matter of personal taste, i guess.
what i did enjoy tho was the exploration of the family dynamic. that was very well done and i wish we'd gotten more time with Jason (although i completely understand why he was in the background. i just think he's cool).
tbh i just picked this up because i was bored and i liked the title, so i didn't know it'd involve religion. i'm an atheist so idk if all the church stuff was objectively done well, but i didn't mind it personally
also, jen and jason were clearly the ones with brain cells and i love them both.
TW for the r-slur
in case you wanna skip that part:
December 15, 2019
Book Review- The Secret Keeper by Brea Brown
I liked how this book began. Poor Peyton trying to have her life and live as well as she can. Her family is a mess which affects her. How they feel about her is a bit unclear. The dynamics change throughout the book.
There is a lot of religious ideas and verbiage in this story. Her minister becomes a core part of her story which is woven throughout the story. I liked Peyton. She is a real character who is far from perfect. She has major bumps in the road and tragic situations to work through.
Her family disappoints me with how judgmental they are and how they stop talking to her when she needs them most. I was truly disgusted at most of the characters in this book to be honest. Most of them had this clear view of how things should be and refuse to bend when they weren’t, even Brice was this way. It drove me crazy. There was a lot of black and white thinking and views in this book that frustrated me as I read it. I liked the storyline and loved Peyton with all her flaws and issues. She wasn’t the cause of all her problems like her family assumed. This is a sad portrait of a dysfunctional family pretending to be functional and ignoring their problems. Too close to reality, I think. I give it a 3 out of 5.
I liked how this book began. Poor Peyton trying to have her life and live as well as she can. Her family is a mess which affects her. How they feel about her is a bit unclear. The dynamics change throughout the book.
There is a lot of religious ideas and verbiage in this story. Her minister becomes a core part of her story which is woven throughout the story. I liked Peyton. She is a real character who is far from perfect. She has major bumps in the road and tragic situations to work through.
Her family disappoints me with how judgmental they are and how they stop talking to her when she needs them most. I was truly disgusted at most of the characters in this book to be honest. Most of them had this clear view of how things should be and refuse to bend when they weren’t, even Brice was this way. It drove me crazy. There was a lot of black and white thinking and views in this book that frustrated me as I read it. I liked the storyline and loved Peyton with all her flaws and issues. She wasn’t the cause of all her problems like her family assumed. This is a sad portrait of a dysfunctional family pretending to be functional and ignoring their problems. Too close to reality, I think. I give it a 3 out of 5.
March 31, 2018
Omg!!
I read this novel because I was fortunate enough to meet the author at a very difficult time in my life. She never suggested I read her work, as we were both discovering our combined interest in telling stories. I thought to myself that this amazing woman must have amazing stories! I was not disappointed! The story captivated my heart! I was reading her novel during that troubling point in my life! It gave me joy, hope that everything will eventually be okay. Through all of my trials, this book was my escape. It was a comfort that she doesn't even know she provided! When everyone turned their back on the heroine, she stayed strong! She persevered! When everyone doubted her and her abilities, she grew as a woman! This story was so relatable to my life that it was spooky at first! But I was hooked and I could not stop reading it. Her inner strength was admirable. Thanks Brea, for coming into my life and sharing your gift with me in my time of need! Your heart shows in your writing
I read this novel because I was fortunate enough to meet the author at a very difficult time in my life. She never suggested I read her work, as we were both discovering our combined interest in telling stories. I thought to myself that this amazing woman must have amazing stories! I was not disappointed! The story captivated my heart! I was reading her novel during that troubling point in my life! It gave me joy, hope that everything will eventually be okay. Through all of my trials, this book was my escape. It was a comfort that she doesn't even know she provided! When everyone turned their back on the heroine, she stayed strong! She persevered! When everyone doubted her and her abilities, she grew as a woman! This story was so relatable to my life that it was spooky at first! But I was hooked and I could not stop reading it. Her inner strength was admirable. Thanks Brea, for coming into my life and sharing your gift with me in my time of need! Your heart shows in your writing
July 24, 2020
Get the Kleenex
It was a very emotional book. Many, many very deep conversations between the Pastor and his gal. The book was deep into conversations with the characters in the book. An unwed pregnant gal after a drunken one night stand seeks counseling from her single Pastor and she thinks he's hot. She loses the baby and goes on an emotional ride following The stillbirth. The book showed two different points of view, she wanted to get the preacher into bed and he is waiting until marriage. He was not a virgin. The book was preachy, extolling the virtues of waiting for sex and there were so many references to God and the Bible. This is the first book of this kind that I have read. Seeing explanations of the two different philosophies was interesting. Obviously the writer grew up in the Bible belt.
It was a very emotional book. Many, many very deep conversations between the Pastor and his gal. The book was deep into conversations with the characters in the book. An unwed pregnant gal after a drunken one night stand seeks counseling from her single Pastor and she thinks he's hot. She loses the baby and goes on an emotional ride following The stillbirth. The book showed two different points of view, she wanted to get the preacher into bed and he is waiting until marriage. He was not a virgin. The book was preachy, extolling the virtues of waiting for sex and there were so many references to God and the Bible. This is the first book of this kind that I have read. Seeing explanations of the two different philosophies was interesting. Obviously the writer grew up in the Bible belt.
July 7, 2020
If it were cleaner
Really great character development, storyline, realism. In fact, if it weren't so worldly real with sex and language, I would have given it a 5 star. The same story could have been told without putting words in my head I don't want there. I know people use them. My mother cursed worse than anyone ever when she was drunk. All the words are in my head. I don't want them there. I read Christian fiction because I don't want those words. And I don't need the graphic sexual descriptions to know what's happening. Satan tells you you have to be real, but he's a liar. God says we should take care of our language and guard our thoughts. And He knows what is right.
Really great character development, storyline, realism. In fact, if it weren't so worldly real with sex and language, I would have given it a 5 star. The same story could have been told without putting words in my head I don't want there. I know people use them. My mother cursed worse than anyone ever when she was drunk. All the words are in my head. I don't want them there. I read Christian fiction because I don't want those words. And I don't need the graphic sexual descriptions to know what's happening. Satan tells you you have to be real, but he's a liar. God says we should take care of our language and guard our thoughts. And He knows what is right.
July 9, 2020
Started out ok but went down hill from there - the characters seemed badly written like the author couldn’t decide (or maybe remember) who they were - too much pointless sex reference that gave nothing to the story - far too many sudden flips between the characters that either came to nothing or just didn’t make any sense. It had the basis of a good story but sadly for me ended up very wide of the mark
November 24, 2021
Cute story told with humor. Never read any of Brea Brown’s books but definitely would read the next book. Story is about Payton, the middle child and explains herself as “the middle child, safe, reliable and non threatening. Her role was the peacemaker, Keep everyone happy, even if it meant she’s not.
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