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Someone Else's Secret
Here’s the thing about secrets: they change shape over time, become blurry with memory, until the truth is nearly lost.
2009. Lindsey and Georgie have high hopes for their summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In the wake of the recession, ambitious college graduate Lindsey accepts a job as a nanny for an influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Georgie, the eldest child in that family, is nearly fifteen and eager to find herself, dreaming of independence and yearning for first love.
Over the course of that formative summer, the two young women develop a close bond. Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares them both in the throes of a terrible secret. Their budding friendship is shattered, and neither one can speak of what happened that night for ten long years.
Until now. Lindsey and Georgie must confront the past after all this time. Their quest for justice will require costly sacrifices, but it also might give them the closure they need to move on. All they know for sure is that when the truth is revealed, their lives will be forever changed once again.
From a fresh voice in fiction, this poignant and timely novel explores the strength and nuance of female friendship, the cost of ambition, and the courage it takes to speak the truth.
2009. Lindsey and Georgie have high hopes for their summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In the wake of the recession, ambitious college graduate Lindsey accepts a job as a nanny for an influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Georgie, the eldest child in that family, is nearly fifteen and eager to find herself, dreaming of independence and yearning for first love.
Over the course of that formative summer, the two young women develop a close bond. Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares them both in the throes of a terrible secret. Their budding friendship is shattered, and neither one can speak of what happened that night for ten long years.
Until now. Lindsey and Georgie must confront the past after all this time. Their quest for justice will require costly sacrifices, but it also might give them the closure they need to move on. All they know for sure is that when the truth is revealed, their lives will be forever changed once again.
From a fresh voice in fiction, this poignant and timely novel explores the strength and nuance of female friendship, the cost of ambition, and the courage it takes to speak the truth.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 646 reviews
June 5, 2020
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
The female protagonists in this story are excruciating: they are desperate for acceptance from their peers and they cannot shake this emotion even as young adults. It was painful to watch develop, coupled with the fact that the majority of male characters are portrayed as predators. The author makes it obvious where the story is headed and, in the end, I found I was bored and restless reading this novel.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
The female protagonists in this story are excruciating: they are desperate for acceptance from their peers and they cannot shake this emotion even as young adults. It was painful to watch develop, coupled with the fact that the majority of male characters are portrayed as predators. The author makes it obvious where the story is headed and, in the end, I found I was bored and restless reading this novel.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
July 6, 2020
I found the characters shallow and it was extremely hard to like or care about any of them. The book plods alongs for 200 pages, hits the important part and just ends very quickly like the author had to wrap it all up neatly.
May 19, 2020
When Lindsey finishes college she gets a summer job as a nanny for a wealthy family with two children.
Their daughter Georgie is a fourteen year old with a rebellious nature and wants a summer job of her own.
One evening when Lindsey and Georgie are out at the lighthouse an incident happens that changes their lives forever.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Their daughter Georgie is a fourteen year old with a rebellious nature and wants a summer job of her own.
One evening when Lindsey and Georgie are out at the lighthouse an incident happens that changes their lives forever.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2020
SOMEONE ELSE'S SECRET
BY JULIA SPIRO
I have recently been in a terrible reading slump and am thrilled to say that this phenomenal book gave me a reprieve and I can't recommend this one highly enough. If I could give it 100 stars I would. Both the plot and characterizations were absolutely fantastic. There is so much I want to say about this tale and how it affected me but I don't want to give away spoilers. This novel had me feeling so much empathy and compassion for it's many character's except for the antagonist.
It is college graduation time for Lindsey and it is 2008 during the time of this country's great recession. If you are old enough to remember that year you will realize that the joblessness was at an all time low and if the government had not bailed the banks out for the sub prime lending regarding mortgages this country would have gone into a Depression. People were losing their homes. That doesn't have anything to do with this book except to depict one of our main female heroine who has just graduated college studying art and her job prospects are low to non existent. She wants to work in Boston in one of it's art museum's and one day become an art curator.
While Lindsey is celebrating her graduation from college and wracked with years of college loan debt she has been trying to find an internship and can't find one. Most of them are unpaid but she is willing to take on any job while also working for free as an intern at one of the art museum's but she has found out that you have to know someone to get hired. Lindsey is jobless and during graduation a professor comes over to her table and says she would like to introduce Lindsey to the Decker family. The Decker's are on the board at the Museum of Fine Art and need a nanny this summer at Cape Cod.
Lindsey is an only child and doesn't have much experience with taking care of children. Jonathan Decker says that if things work out this summer with Lindsey being their nanny he can introduce her to his friend whom both husband and wife can get Lindsey a paid job in the fall at Boston's Museum of Fine Art. Lindsey is beautiful and has great ambitions of creating a great life for herself in the art world. Jonathan and Carol Decker tell Lindsey that she will have a free place to live with food and all she has to do is take care of their youngest child Berty by taking him to tennis camp and getting him breakfast and her afternoons can be spent taking Berty to their beach club. Berty is five years old and I just loved him. He is a lovable child and easy to care for. Lindsey decides to take the job.
Georgie is the Decker's fourteen and a half year old daughter who is going to be working her first job at the Picnic Basket. She is disdainful, moody with hormones and doesn't want to have to answer to Lindsey. Lindsey is kind and friendly and doesn't force a friendship with Georgie. Georgie is experiencing all of the teenager angst of wanting to find romance. Georgie doesn't have any friends this summer as her former friend's are ignoring her and she is jealous of Lindsey. Carol Decker is a very hands off mother and I didn't like her at first until later in the novel when I learned what she has gone through. Carol seems very cold and uninterested in her children. This leaves Lindsey with the full time care of Berty from morning until after he is read a bedtime story by Lindsey and he falls asleep for the night. After that Lindsey is free to do what she wants and she usually goes out.
Brian is the character that most readers I suspect won't like at all. His parents are wealthier than the Decker's and also the ones who are pivotal to Lindsey getting her job in the fall. He is also Joanna's boyfriend. Joanna didn't give Lindsey the time of day in college but for some odd reason she befriends Lindsey and there are many nights spent drinking at beach parties with Joanna, Brian and all of the other wealthy 24 year old's who spend every summer at Cape Cod. The first party that Lindsey attends Joanna leads Lindsey to do something to get back at Brian by keying his car. When it is time for Lindsey to go home she meets a wholesome and kind working class guy named Dylan who sees Lindsey and offers her a ride home. The two of them fall in love over the course of the Summer.
Georgie has a deep crush on Brian even though their age differences are significant. Brian goes into the Picnic Basket every day for iced coffee and again for lunch. Georgie whose job assignment is to work in the back office sorting mountains of paperwork and inventorying all of the swanky merchandise that the establishment sells besides food. When Brian comes in Georgie is often found sweeping and washing down tables escaping the back office so she can talk to Brian. Georgie feels awkward and frustrated with her life and getting a few breadcrumbs from Brian makes her feel like he is interested in her. One odd night Brian sees Georgie walking home from a party and he offers to walk her home. They almost kiss when Lindsey being protective comes out and breaks it up. This is where the climax of the story begins.
Georgie runs into her house and sobs uncontrollably over Lindsey ruining her big chance of romance with Brian. Lindsey had that day off and she spent the day at Joanna's drinking and later that night went out with Dylan and drank more. After separating Brian and Georgie Brian asks Lindsey to go for a walk to the lighthouse on the beach. What happens next will alter Lindsey and Georgie's Lives for the next ten years. It will haunt them both and change who they are for the worst. I felt so much pain for both of these two and felt like it happened to me. I asked myself what would I do if I was Georgie or Lindsey. Something brutal happens and the way they deal with it by keeping silent is the lesson of this excellent book. This was a fascinating story that I will never forget. Every once in a while I read something such as this excellent book and it is so compelling that it raises the bar so high that I never want the story to end.
This is a gripping narrative that examines so many important themes that I highly recommend this. I thought about what would I do if I was in Lindsey, Georgie or even Carol's position. Thinking about the consequences for these three character's if they face the issue and illuminate it could I do the same thing? Ten years later the issue will resurface and that is really the heart of this story. I highly felt so much compassion for these character's and how much a single incident can bore away at your soul and obliterate the way in which you live and the way you view yourself and everybody else. This author is one to watch out for and this was a fabulous debut which I loved so much I know it will take a long time for me to value a book as much as this one. Don't read any reviews if you choose to read this as I didn't and it worked out in my favor. Unforgettable, Life changing, Original and highly relevant in this day and age.
Thank you to Net Galley, The talented Julia Spiro and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 1, 2020
#SomeoneElse'sSecret #JuliaSpiro #LakeUnionPublishing #NetGalley
BY JULIA SPIRO
I have recently been in a terrible reading slump and am thrilled to say that this phenomenal book gave me a reprieve and I can't recommend this one highly enough. If I could give it 100 stars I would. Both the plot and characterizations were absolutely fantastic. There is so much I want to say about this tale and how it affected me but I don't want to give away spoilers. This novel had me feeling so much empathy and compassion for it's many character's except for the antagonist.
It is college graduation time for Lindsey and it is 2008 during the time of this country's great recession. If you are old enough to remember that year you will realize that the joblessness was at an all time low and if the government had not bailed the banks out for the sub prime lending regarding mortgages this country would have gone into a Depression. People were losing their homes. That doesn't have anything to do with this book except to depict one of our main female heroine who has just graduated college studying art and her job prospects are low to non existent. She wants to work in Boston in one of it's art museum's and one day become an art curator.
While Lindsey is celebrating her graduation from college and wracked with years of college loan debt she has been trying to find an internship and can't find one. Most of them are unpaid but she is willing to take on any job while also working for free as an intern at one of the art museum's but she has found out that you have to know someone to get hired. Lindsey is jobless and during graduation a professor comes over to her table and says she would like to introduce Lindsey to the Decker family. The Decker's are on the board at the Museum of Fine Art and need a nanny this summer at Cape Cod.
Lindsey is an only child and doesn't have much experience with taking care of children. Jonathan Decker says that if things work out this summer with Lindsey being their nanny he can introduce her to his friend whom both husband and wife can get Lindsey a paid job in the fall at Boston's Museum of Fine Art. Lindsey is beautiful and has great ambitions of creating a great life for herself in the art world. Jonathan and Carol Decker tell Lindsey that she will have a free place to live with food and all she has to do is take care of their youngest child Berty by taking him to tennis camp and getting him breakfast and her afternoons can be spent taking Berty to their beach club. Berty is five years old and I just loved him. He is a lovable child and easy to care for. Lindsey decides to take the job.
Georgie is the Decker's fourteen and a half year old daughter who is going to be working her first job at the Picnic Basket. She is disdainful, moody with hormones and doesn't want to have to answer to Lindsey. Lindsey is kind and friendly and doesn't force a friendship with Georgie. Georgie is experiencing all of the teenager angst of wanting to find romance. Georgie doesn't have any friends this summer as her former friend's are ignoring her and she is jealous of Lindsey. Carol Decker is a very hands off mother and I didn't like her at first until later in the novel when I learned what she has gone through. Carol seems very cold and uninterested in her children. This leaves Lindsey with the full time care of Berty from morning until after he is read a bedtime story by Lindsey and he falls asleep for the night. After that Lindsey is free to do what she wants and she usually goes out.
Brian is the character that most readers I suspect won't like at all. His parents are wealthier than the Decker's and also the ones who are pivotal to Lindsey getting her job in the fall. He is also Joanna's boyfriend. Joanna didn't give Lindsey the time of day in college but for some odd reason she befriends Lindsey and there are many nights spent drinking at beach parties with Joanna, Brian and all of the other wealthy 24 year old's who spend every summer at Cape Cod. The first party that Lindsey attends Joanna leads Lindsey to do something to get back at Brian by keying his car. When it is time for Lindsey to go home she meets a wholesome and kind working class guy named Dylan who sees Lindsey and offers her a ride home. The two of them fall in love over the course of the Summer.
Georgie has a deep crush on Brian even though their age differences are significant. Brian goes into the Picnic Basket every day for iced coffee and again for lunch. Georgie whose job assignment is to work in the back office sorting mountains of paperwork and inventorying all of the swanky merchandise that the establishment sells besides food. When Brian comes in Georgie is often found sweeping and washing down tables escaping the back office so she can talk to Brian. Georgie feels awkward and frustrated with her life and getting a few breadcrumbs from Brian makes her feel like he is interested in her. One odd night Brian sees Georgie walking home from a party and he offers to walk her home. They almost kiss when Lindsey being protective comes out and breaks it up. This is where the climax of the story begins.
Georgie runs into her house and sobs uncontrollably over Lindsey ruining her big chance of romance with Brian. Lindsey had that day off and she spent the day at Joanna's drinking and later that night went out with Dylan and drank more. After separating Brian and Georgie Brian asks Lindsey to go for a walk to the lighthouse on the beach. What happens next will alter Lindsey and Georgie's Lives for the next ten years. It will haunt them both and change who they are for the worst. I felt so much pain for both of these two and felt like it happened to me. I asked myself what would I do if I was Georgie or Lindsey. Something brutal happens and the way they deal with it by keeping silent is the lesson of this excellent book. This was a fascinating story that I will never forget. Every once in a while I read something such as this excellent book and it is so compelling that it raises the bar so high that I never want the story to end.
This is a gripping narrative that examines so many important themes that I highly recommend this. I thought about what would I do if I was in Lindsey, Georgie or even Carol's position. Thinking about the consequences for these three character's if they face the issue and illuminate it could I do the same thing? Ten years later the issue will resurface and that is really the heart of this story. I highly felt so much compassion for these character's and how much a single incident can bore away at your soul and obliterate the way in which you live and the way you view yourself and everybody else. This author is one to watch out for and this was a fabulous debut which I loved so much I know it will take a long time for me to value a book as much as this one. Don't read any reviews if you choose to read this as I didn't and it worked out in my favor. Unforgettable, Life changing, Original and highly relevant in this day and age.
Thank you to Net Galley, The talented Julia Spiro and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 1, 2020
#SomeoneElse'sSecret #JuliaSpiro #LakeUnionPublishing #NetGalley
June 11, 2020
I got as far as 40% in but then packed it in. The big "event" hadn't occurred by then and I was getting bored with it. By the time I gave in we'd pretty much only learned which blokes the girls fancied and it all came across as more like a YA story than for someone my age, in her 50s.
Somebody reviewing this described it as "suspenseful and dishy" which I find an odd word to use and a couple of times she referred to 'on island' and not on the island, and I imagine that is possibly the way they speak ?
I did get a little confused between Lindsey's friends and Georgie's friends as we keep swapping narrators for each chapter. There were no mistakes and it is presented really well, which is impressive, but the story itself was a bit too slow and dull for me. This was my Kindle First choice for June.
Somebody reviewing this described it as "suspenseful and dishy" which I find an odd word to use and a couple of times she referred to 'on island' and not on the island, and I imagine that is possibly the way they speak ?
I did get a little confused between Lindsey's friends and Georgie's friends as we keep swapping narrators for each chapter. There were no mistakes and it is presented really well, which is impressive, but the story itself was a bit too slow and dull for me. This was my Kindle First choice for June.
June 20, 2020
I gave up. Whiny cardboard characters.
June 8, 2020
Of all my Amazon First Reads options this month, this book appealed to me because of the themes it promised, and what was sold to me as an examination of why those who experience horrifying events often choose to hide it instead of try to get the world to confront it. What I got was a not particularly good book that felt written to be akin to 90210 or The OC and wasn’t particularly good at tackling the themes it proclaimed in its blurb. It probably has an audience in mind that isn’t me, but it’s a pretty mediocre work at best that doesn’t deliver as strongly as it probably intended. The word that came to mind repeatedly was amateur.
So, acknowledgement first: this is a coming-of-age story about two young women, one in her mid-teens and who’s left high school and is naturally thinking about career, future romance… all that stuff. It alternates a third person narrative from the perspective of each girl from chapter to chapter. I appreciate some will say that as I am not female I don’t fully “get the book”. That’s not an excuse as far as I’m concerned: I don’t care about the individual characteristics of a character, I just want to be invested in their story.
A praise I will give the book is that the chapters are easily identifiable between the characters with each one given a distinct voice. These are young women at different stages of their respective lives so it’s good that you can actually tell these are different characters when the book wants to swap perspectives.
Whilst I will praise the book for having distinct voices, I can’t add much praise for the prose. Again this is far from the worst book I’ve ever read, but I found often it was overwritten: not in the sense that it’s I think the author was trying to show how smart she is; rather she just didn’t know when to stop describing. One of the major characters comes from a rich and privileged background, and she’s painting his personality. Invocative of a lot of the characters in various TV shows, but fine I get the character she’s building. Then she has to offer a summary sentence after it stating “he was the image of entitlement” after already describing so much about him.
The above became her style throughout the book and I’m not sure if this is meant to give the audience a sort of summary buzz card for the character, or if this is the way she noted it during the writing process and never got rid of the placeholder. If it’s the latter then she really needs to have more faith in readers ability to comprehend a character. If the latter, it’s sloppy. See if you’re painting a picture of a character for me and you need to add a summary at the end to make sure I got it, question why I wouldn’t have got it and if your writing is to blame. Contrast the descriptions in this book with Angela Carter’s Love that I loved earlier this year: one is an author who can paint a character without having to spell out every detail, the other seemingly can’t.
There are mature things that happen in the book and I doubt that they were easy to write about. The presence of a mature event, and conveying a message about a mature event, however, are two different things. This book seemed to have the desire to put the event in the book as a plot point, and instead of actually examining the issue seemed to literally go down a list buzz words/phrases instead of organically following a character. I’ll get into that in a part of this review that I’ll label as a spoiler.
The reason I voice this criticism is simple: I want anyone considering reading the book that the titular “secret” of the book is very serious subject matter in this book and if you’re expecting it to actually be saying something about it, you might end up disappointed.
Back to the less intense aspects of the book, it seems obsessed with attractive young people. Page after page you’re reading about the beach bodies; the size of breasts and hips; stunning faces; it’s very fascinated with skin-deep beauty more than personality which made it difficult to identify with the characters. Less declarations of “she was stunning” would have been better. I appreciate that the younger character is insecure and naturally she is focused on beauty of people she knows, but it’s not limited to her perspective or even relevant at times. It definitely felt either like padding or to remind you of CW style shows.
This obsession with beauty is particularly notable as the author wants to have it both ways. After all these descriptions of beauty throughout the book, the youngest of the characters questions what beauty has to do with whether one deserves to be single. I thought that the author was evolving the character and her writing which made me think she was doing it in a similar intention to American Psycho (albeit not getting into the absurd levels of violence). Colour me disappointed when nine short paragraphs later she goes back to beauty obsession. I was sincerely baffled.
The characters change throughout the story which sounds like a good thing, but the author ruins that. I will detail more in my spoiler section but let’s just say for now that a lot of the individual changes to characters in that book feel like they’ve changed for meta reasons and not as a response to what has happened in the story.
There were also times where I questioned why the author told me something. Not every word you write has to have a direct relevance to the story, but when you tell me a characteristic I presume you’re doing it to give me layers to them I’m not content to accuse without giving an example so here goes:
About three quarters in the author tells us that a character "was gay and had a thick New York accent". Was there a reason to tell me the character's sexuality when we've just met him? I naively thought that this was going to be relevant, but it goes nowhere. The only reason I can think of for why we were told that the character was gay was so that the book could say that it had a gay character in it. For the record I've no problem with gay characters being in stories. Frankly the gay community could do with better representation in fiction (both in quantity and quality). I just want to point out that you don't get LGBT+ representation points for just telling me a character is gay. If it was written naturally into the story it wouldn't have bugged me and it'd be fine. For example write it like this:
"I'll be back in a second" he said, "just going to find my boyfriend".
It still communicates the same information but it's actually written into the book in a natural way instead of adding the characteristics for seemingly no reason. You get your gay character in and treat it as just a normal part of the character instead of blurting it out to make sure I don't miss it. This is just the example that comes to mind where the author writes about a characteristic in an inorganic way, but it is far from the only example.
I can imagine this being something my mum would read on holiday and whilst I have issues with the handling of a subject matter, it isn’t particularly damaging to the subject, just not particularly good. If you like the young adult dramas I mentioned in my first paragraph, this might be up your street. If you want something with a bit of nuance, it won’t be for you.
This is far from a complimentary review but I want to make one thing clear: I’m sure the author is a nice person. I did not get the impression at any point that she is mean-spirited or deliberately downplaying issues. I just think she’s demonstrated she has a long way to go in terms of being an author.
SPOILERS!!
So, acknowledgement first: this is a coming-of-age story about two young women, one in her mid-teens and who’s left high school and is naturally thinking about career, future romance… all that stuff. It alternates a third person narrative from the perspective of each girl from chapter to chapter. I appreciate some will say that as I am not female I don’t fully “get the book”. That’s not an excuse as far as I’m concerned: I don’t care about the individual characteristics of a character, I just want to be invested in their story.
A praise I will give the book is that the chapters are easily identifiable between the characters with each one given a distinct voice. These are young women at different stages of their respective lives so it’s good that you can actually tell these are different characters when the book wants to swap perspectives.
Whilst I will praise the book for having distinct voices, I can’t add much praise for the prose. Again this is far from the worst book I’ve ever read, but I found often it was overwritten: not in the sense that it’s I think the author was trying to show how smart she is; rather she just didn’t know when to stop describing. One of the major characters comes from a rich and privileged background, and she’s painting his personality. Invocative of a lot of the characters in various TV shows, but fine I get the character she’s building. Then she has to offer a summary sentence after it stating “he was the image of entitlement” after already describing so much about him.
The above became her style throughout the book and I’m not sure if this is meant to give the audience a sort of summary buzz card for the character, or if this is the way she noted it during the writing process and never got rid of the placeholder. If it’s the latter then she really needs to have more faith in readers ability to comprehend a character. If the latter, it’s sloppy. See if you’re painting a picture of a character for me and you need to add a summary at the end to make sure I got it, question why I wouldn’t have got it and if your writing is to blame. Contrast the descriptions in this book with Angela Carter’s Love that I loved earlier this year: one is an author who can paint a character without having to spell out every detail, the other seemingly can’t.
There are mature things that happen in the book and I doubt that they were easy to write about. The presence of a mature event, and conveying a message about a mature event, however, are two different things. This book seemed to have the desire to put the event in the book as a plot point, and instead of actually examining the issue seemed to literally go down a list buzz words/phrases instead of organically following a character. I’ll get into that in a part of this review that I’ll label as a spoiler.
The reason I voice this criticism is simple: I want anyone considering reading the book that the titular “secret” of the book is very serious subject matter in this book and if you’re expecting it to actually be saying something about it, you might end up disappointed.
Back to the less intense aspects of the book, it seems obsessed with attractive young people. Page after page you’re reading about the beach bodies; the size of breasts and hips; stunning faces; it’s very fascinated with skin-deep beauty more than personality which made it difficult to identify with the characters. Less declarations of “she was stunning” would have been better. I appreciate that the younger character is insecure and naturally she is focused on beauty of people she knows, but it’s not limited to her perspective or even relevant at times. It definitely felt either like padding or to remind you of CW style shows.
This obsession with beauty is particularly notable as the author wants to have it both ways. After all these descriptions of beauty throughout the book, the youngest of the characters questions what beauty has to do with whether one deserves to be single. I thought that the author was evolving the character and her writing which made me think she was doing it in a similar intention to American Psycho (albeit not getting into the absurd levels of violence). Colour me disappointed when nine short paragraphs later she goes back to beauty obsession. I was sincerely baffled.
The characters change throughout the story which sounds like a good thing, but the author ruins that. I will detail more in my spoiler section but let’s just say for now that a lot of the individual changes to characters in that book feel like they’ve changed for meta reasons and not as a response to what has happened in the story.
There were also times where I questioned why the author told me something. Not every word you write has to have a direct relevance to the story, but when you tell me a characteristic I presume you’re doing it to give me layers to them I’m not content to accuse without giving an example so here goes:
About three quarters in the author tells us that a character "was gay and had a thick New York accent". Was there a reason to tell me the character's sexuality when we've just met him? I naively thought that this was going to be relevant, but it goes nowhere. The only reason I can think of for why we were told that the character was gay was so that the book could say that it had a gay character in it. For the record I've no problem with gay characters being in stories. Frankly the gay community could do with better representation in fiction (both in quantity and quality). I just want to point out that you don't get LGBT+ representation points for just telling me a character is gay. If it was written naturally into the story it wouldn't have bugged me and it'd be fine. For example write it like this:
"I'll be back in a second" he said, "just going to find my boyfriend".
It still communicates the same information but it's actually written into the book in a natural way instead of adding the characteristics for seemingly no reason. You get your gay character in and treat it as just a normal part of the character instead of blurting it out to make sure I don't miss it. This is just the example that comes to mind where the author writes about a characteristic in an inorganic way, but it is far from the only example.
I can imagine this being something my mum would read on holiday and whilst I have issues with the handling of a subject matter, it isn’t particularly damaging to the subject, just not particularly good. If you like the young adult dramas I mentioned in my first paragraph, this might be up your street. If you want something with a bit of nuance, it won’t be for you.
This is far from a complimentary review but I want to make one thing clear: I’m sure the author is a nice person. I did not get the impression at any point that she is mean-spirited or deliberately downplaying issues. I just think she’s demonstrated she has a long way to go in terms of being an author.
SPOILERS!!
December 2, 2023
It took a bit to get into this story but ultimately it was satisfying.
August 8, 2020
A story about friendship and secrets. An incident witnessed ten years ago had its effect in the present time.
A slow moving book with the characters going through a lot of angst. Parts of it were difficult to read, yet parts captured me. The ending was rushed, just felt the story needed a bit more time to breathe.
Overall, a good read.
A slow moving book with the characters going through a lot of angst. Parts of it were difficult to read, yet parts captured me. The ending was rushed, just felt the story needed a bit more time to breathe.
Overall, a good read.
June 2, 2020
There is no shortage of pitfalls, when it comes to being young and female; this author nails it.
SOMEONE ELSES SECRET was not like anything else I have read. My feelings upon finishing the book are not so much conflicted, as polarized. What I liked about the book, I REALLY liked. What I didn't like, was serious enough, to dock it down to three stars. I'll start with the good, but first, a warning: if you are bothered by sexual content, you will need to pass on this one.
The Good Stuff: This story is current and parts of it are disturbingly similar to what we saw played out on television recently, during coverage of the Harvey Weinstein trial. This story is extremely relevant and explains perfectly why victims of sexual assault respond in ways that seem to go against their own self interest ---ways that seem illogical and cause others to doubt their allegations. If you can't figure out why a woman would wait years to accuse someone of rape, or continue to socialize with her rapist, after the fact....look no further. After reading this book, the answers to those questions will be obvious.
The author of SOMEONE ELSES SECRET is really talented. Julia Spiro captured the absolute essence of what it is like to be young and female. if you just want to understand what girls are like between the ages of 14 and 22, or you lived it and have forgotten, this book is the only guide or refresher you'll ever need. The inner turmoil and ANGST of the two narrators, 14 year old Georgie and 22 year old Lindsey are so spot-on perfect, that it made me remember things i hadn't thought about in years. Those memories aren't pleasant because young girls, on the brink of becoming women, who are trying to figure out their place and role in the world, live lives of near-constant inner turmoil.
Angst is a perfect word to summarize the internal thoughts of the two narrators, myself at that age, and every "coming of age" girl i've ever known. Angst plays out like this: lack of self confidence; the yearning to be "all grown up", and to be seen that way by others; many mortifying humiliations, magnified well out of proportion (probably mostly unnoticed by others); Over-thinking EVERYTHING; analyzing everything, trying to determine hidden meanings and motivations of others when interacting. It is exhausting and, I think, very typical. The emotional lives of Georgie and Lindsey felt so familiar, and were filled with such uneccessarily harsh, self inflicted drama, it made me squirm for them, and myself, at that age.
The author perfectly captures the shame women, especially young women, have about their bodies: the swimsuit coverups, the towels wrapped around waists, the baggy clothing used to hide themselves. Lindsey is very large breasted, which brings her a lot of unwanted male attention. It also brings her unwarranted female resentment. There is nothing she can do to stop it. I didn't have a close girlfriend who was endowed with extremely large breasts, until I was 30. I remember being shocked by the way men reacted to her. We would go out for drinks and they would not leave her alone, they practically salivated over her and made sexually charged innuendos. I had never seen this dynamic played out before and I was shocked by it. All that unwanted attention made me realize how thankful I was NOT to be big breasted. My girlfriend had had years to learn how to navigate what was her unavoidable reality: inappropriate sexual comments and touches by strangers, CONSTANTLY. This is Lindsey's reality, and she is just learning to navigate it. She is constantly jockeying her physical environment to keep men from making a move on her, or otherwise doing or saying something inappropriate. She already knows
that they will be embarrassed by it later, and will ultimately resent her, or blame her either for rejecting them, making tbem feel foolish, or both.
There is no shortage of pitfalls when it comes to being young and female; this author nails it.
Now for the bad.: SOMEONE ELSES SECRET is slow. Its based on emotion. There is very little action. Some of it feels repetetive. All that inner turmoil gets tiresome. it is almost entirely about the complicated inner lives, angst and out of proportion (realistic, just not all that interesting) turmoil experienced by two likeable, realistic characters, over one hot summer spent on Martha's Vineyard. As most people already know, hanging out with teenage girls gets old pretty darn quick. I liked the book, but I didn't love it.
SOMEONE ELSES SECRET was not like anything else I have read. My feelings upon finishing the book are not so much conflicted, as polarized. What I liked about the book, I REALLY liked. What I didn't like, was serious enough, to dock it down to three stars. I'll start with the good, but first, a warning: if you are bothered by sexual content, you will need to pass on this one.
The Good Stuff: This story is current and parts of it are disturbingly similar to what we saw played out on television recently, during coverage of the Harvey Weinstein trial. This story is extremely relevant and explains perfectly why victims of sexual assault respond in ways that seem to go against their own self interest ---ways that seem illogical and cause others to doubt their allegations. If you can't figure out why a woman would wait years to accuse someone of rape, or continue to socialize with her rapist, after the fact....look no further. After reading this book, the answers to those questions will be obvious.
The author of SOMEONE ELSES SECRET is really talented. Julia Spiro captured the absolute essence of what it is like to be young and female. if you just want to understand what girls are like between the ages of 14 and 22, or you lived it and have forgotten, this book is the only guide or refresher you'll ever need. The inner turmoil and ANGST of the two narrators, 14 year old Georgie and 22 year old Lindsey are so spot-on perfect, that it made me remember things i hadn't thought about in years. Those memories aren't pleasant because young girls, on the brink of becoming women, who are trying to figure out their place and role in the world, live lives of near-constant inner turmoil.
Angst is a perfect word to summarize the internal thoughts of the two narrators, myself at that age, and every "coming of age" girl i've ever known. Angst plays out like this: lack of self confidence; the yearning to be "all grown up", and to be seen that way by others; many mortifying humiliations, magnified well out of proportion (probably mostly unnoticed by others); Over-thinking EVERYTHING; analyzing everything, trying to determine hidden meanings and motivations of others when interacting. It is exhausting and, I think, very typical. The emotional lives of Georgie and Lindsey felt so familiar, and were filled with such uneccessarily harsh, self inflicted drama, it made me squirm for them, and myself, at that age.
The author perfectly captures the shame women, especially young women, have about their bodies: the swimsuit coverups, the towels wrapped around waists, the baggy clothing used to hide themselves. Lindsey is very large breasted, which brings her a lot of unwanted male attention. It also brings her unwarranted female resentment. There is nothing she can do to stop it. I didn't have a close girlfriend who was endowed with extremely large breasts, until I was 30. I remember being shocked by the way men reacted to her. We would go out for drinks and they would not leave her alone, they practically salivated over her and made sexually charged innuendos. I had never seen this dynamic played out before and I was shocked by it. All that unwanted attention made me realize how thankful I was NOT to be big breasted. My girlfriend had had years to learn how to navigate what was her unavoidable reality: inappropriate sexual comments and touches by strangers, CONSTANTLY. This is Lindsey's reality, and she is just learning to navigate it. She is constantly jockeying her physical environment to keep men from making a move on her, or otherwise doing or saying something inappropriate. She already knows
that they will be embarrassed by it later, and will ultimately resent her, or blame her either for rejecting them, making tbem feel foolish, or both.
There is no shortage of pitfalls when it comes to being young and female; this author nails it.
Now for the bad.: SOMEONE ELSES SECRET is slow. Its based on emotion. There is very little action. Some of it feels repetetive. All that inner turmoil gets tiresome. it is almost entirely about the complicated inner lives, angst and out of proportion (realistic, just not all that interesting) turmoil experienced by two likeable, realistic characters, over one hot summer spent on Martha's Vineyard. As most people already know, hanging out with teenage girls gets old pretty darn quick. I liked the book, but I didn't love it.
April 10, 2020
What a fun and provocative read - I couldn’t put this book down. The novel has such strong, fantastically written female characters and the shifts in time not only create real suspense, but also allow the reader to see how these characters become both softer and harder in different ways. No one is exactly as they seem and no story unravels exactly like you think it will. The backdrop of the elusive and fancy Martha’s Vineyard world adds another layer of sexiness and fun.
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
October 15, 2020
I didn't really know what to expect from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is an impressive debut with amazing descriptions that made me feel like I was right there next to the characters. I could feel the summer heat and smell the ocean.
I enjoyed reading both Lindsey and Georgie's perspectives. I got so frustrated on their behalves sometimes. They both had a great depth of emotion that really brought them to life. The story was well-written with lots of layers to work through and think about. It is perfect for a book club to discuss. I don't wait to say too much more as to not spoil anything. Side note: I liked that Lindsey grew up near where I live.
My only concern is that I noticed some timing errors in the finished publication that I wish had been caught in advance.
I definitely recommend this novel, and perhaps it can bring you back to the summer during the cold months ahead.
Movie casting suggestions:
Lindsey: Rainey Qualley (She has a look that can span the ten year time difference)
Georgie (2009): Maisy Stella
Georgie (2019): Julia Garner
Carol: Christina Hendricks
Jonathan: Sam Trammell
Brian (2009): Cody Christian
Joanna (2009): Katherine McNamara
Dylan: Jake Cannavale
I enjoyed reading both Lindsey and Georgie's perspectives. I got so frustrated on their behalves sometimes. They both had a great depth of emotion that really brought them to life. The story was well-written with lots of layers to work through and think about. It is perfect for a book club to discuss. I don't wait to say too much more as to not spoil anything. Side note: I liked that Lindsey grew up near where I live.
My only concern is that I noticed some timing errors in the finished publication that I wish had been caught in advance.
I definitely recommend this novel, and perhaps it can bring you back to the summer during the cold months ahead.
Movie casting suggestions:
Lindsey: Rainey Qualley (She has a look that can span the ten year time difference)
Georgie (2009): Maisy Stella
Georgie (2019): Julia Garner
Carol: Christina Hendricks
Jonathan: Sam Trammell
Brian (2009): Cody Christian
Joanna (2009): Katherine McNamara
Dylan: Jake Cannavale
April 10, 2020
I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this and felt transported to Martha's Vineyard, like a fly on the wall during these scenes - so powerful is Julia's ability to create this particular world, so natural is the dialogue flowing between the characters. There is something timeless about the tale - ambition, friendship, desire, coming-of-age, integrity tested - and at the same time something extremely poignant for right now, as the dust from #metoo is still settling. Julia's skill lies in her detailed renderings of each person so that - as with any great novel - we see ourselves in several of the personalities, good and bad.
June 26, 2020
So lame. By now, I should know better; almost every single time, the free monthly books from Amazon First Reads are worth exactly what I paid - nothing. I got what I paid for.
The story revolves around two characters, Lindsey and Georgie, taking alternating points of view with each chapter. Neither one is interesting, and some scenes are repeated from each perspective (which weren’t all that complicated, and definitely didn’t merit a second perspective!) Both characters are so immature, shallow and insecure, focused entirely on body image and physical looks/characteristics, and pretty much nothing else. At least Georgie has the excuse of being only 14.
I had to check several times to see if this was considered YA. It felt juvenile, extremely simple, and the author seemed compelled to over explain everything: “so and so favored monochromatic outfits. One day she wore all gray. Another day she work all mauve.” (paraphrased) Really? Thanks so much for making sure I know that monochromatic means one color.
Just not a good book. Flawed writing and flawed editing combined to make just another dud.
The story revolves around two characters, Lindsey and Georgie, taking alternating points of view with each chapter. Neither one is interesting, and some scenes are repeated from each perspective (which weren’t all that complicated, and definitely didn’t merit a second perspective!) Both characters are so immature, shallow and insecure, focused entirely on body image and physical looks/characteristics, and pretty much nothing else. At least Georgie has the excuse of being only 14.
I had to check several times to see if this was considered YA. It felt juvenile, extremely simple, and the author seemed compelled to over explain everything: “so and so favored monochromatic outfits. One day she wore all gray. Another day she work all mauve.” (paraphrased) Really? Thanks so much for making sure I know that monochromatic means one color.
Just not a good book. Flawed writing and flawed editing combined to make just another dud.
July 4, 2020
Important reading
Excellent novel of the price some women pay to pursue their dreams. Also an interesting look at another type of privilege...
Excellent novel of the price some women pay to pursue their dreams. Also an interesting look at another type of privilege...
May 29, 2020
A broken friendship, a terrible secret, the makings of a most enjoyable story.
The story has lots of teenage angst, jealousy and a brutal incident that changes lives forever.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story has lots of teenage angst, jealousy and a brutal incident that changes lives forever.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 6, 2020
Secrets
The story is written well. The author writes with grace and poise. I think a lot of women will relate to at least one of the characters. It's a shame women feel so powerless. So indebted to others for what they must endure to achieve more in life. The story gives something for women to cling to no matter which character they identify to. No matter what their experiences have been.
The story is written well. The author writes with grace and poise. I think a lot of women will relate to at least one of the characters. It's a shame women feel so powerless. So indebted to others for what they must endure to achieve more in life. The story gives something for women to cling to no matter which character they identify to. No matter what their experiences have been.
June 10, 2020
Ms. Spiro's first novel knocks you out of the field! It's a novel you need to read, as well as your sisters, your daughters, your nieces, and your cousins.
The first 2/3 of the story is set at Martha Vineyard with a young nanny and her two charges, a 5-year-old and his 14-year-old sister. The nanny, having just graduated from the presitgious Bowdain College and trying to find a job in the world of art, is on the outskirts of the summer people of the area and falls for a local guy. Both kids are trying to fit into a world they want. Until tragedy strikes just days before summer ends.
What is the take away? Just because it is someone else's secret, it can change how you live and whom you become.
The first 2/3 of the story is set at Martha Vineyard with a young nanny and her two charges, a 5-year-old and his 14-year-old sister. The nanny, having just graduated from the presitgious Bowdain College and trying to find a job in the world of art, is on the outskirts of the summer people of the area and falls for a local guy. Both kids are trying to fit into a world they want. Until tragedy strikes just days before summer ends.
What is the take away? Just because it is someone else's secret, it can change how you live and whom you become.
August 28, 2020
It was good. Georgie is young, so I can understand her troubles. Lindsey, to me was too old to be acting the way she was. The rest of the characters didn't care about anyone but themselves!! The way they treated people and acted had me shaking my head!! A lot of self esteem issues and peer pressure. Rose was the most real character!! Lindsey should have kept here as a friend! She was the only one who seemed to have sense!! I refuse to loose myself to fit in someone else's bubble!
July 15, 2020
I am really stretching it, giving this book three stars. It is about a hundred pages too long and is obviously a first novel, with numerous grammatical errors and awkward phrasing at times. It is obvious from the beginning what the "shocking act" in the description is likely to be. There is far too much emphasis on the ins and outs of female friendships and alienation. Certainly those subjects are worth mentioning, but in this book they drag on and on and on. Both female protagonists, despite their difference in age (almost 15 versus 22), are equally unsure of themselves and tentative not only in regard to potential boyfriends but also when dealing with other females.
I guess I'm just really tired of reading novels about millennials and Gen Z. I should give this book two stars but younger readers may like it. Also, it is set in Martha's Vineyard and gives a good view of the type of life the rich summer visitors live. Those who long for that life or who are familiar with the area may enjoy this book as well.
I guess I'm just really tired of reading novels about millennials and Gen Z. I should give this book two stars but younger readers may like it. Also, it is set in Martha's Vineyard and gives a good view of the type of life the rich summer visitors live. Those who long for that life or who are familiar with the area may enjoy this book as well.
May 8, 2020
4.5 stars!
Georgie is a teenager from a well-to-do family, and while spending the summer on Martha’s Vineyard, she hopes to become more independent, make new friends, and find young love. Lindsey is fresh out of college and dreams of landing a job in the art world. In the meantime, she accepts a job as a nanny for a family who could help her get her foot in the door at a Boston art gallery. Sounds perfect, right?
Lindsey and Georgie develop a bit of rocky friendship as the summer progresses, but one night changes everything and neither one of them speaks of it again...until 10 years later. But is it too late for justice?
This was a great summer read, and it reminded me a lot of summers spent in Cape Cod with my family. I thought Georgie and Lindsey were great characters, and I found a lot in common between the two young women. The situations they found themselves in were real and relatable (though at times difficult to read because of the subject matter), and I thought the way they responded emotionally to those experiences was spot on for their levels of maturity. Great character development!
Highly recommend!
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Georgie is a teenager from a well-to-do family, and while spending the summer on Martha’s Vineyard, she hopes to become more independent, make new friends, and find young love. Lindsey is fresh out of college and dreams of landing a job in the art world. In the meantime, she accepts a job as a nanny for a family who could help her get her foot in the door at a Boston art gallery. Sounds perfect, right?
Lindsey and Georgie develop a bit of rocky friendship as the summer progresses, but one night changes everything and neither one of them speaks of it again...until 10 years later. But is it too late for justice?
This was a great summer read, and it reminded me a lot of summers spent in Cape Cod with my family. I thought Georgie and Lindsey were great characters, and I found a lot in common between the two young women. The situations they found themselves in were real and relatable (though at times difficult to read because of the subject matter), and I thought the way they responded emotionally to those experiences was spot on for their levels of maturity. Great character development!
Highly recommend!
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
July 7, 2020
Phenomenal. From the beginning to the end. I am absolutely in love with this story. The writing style itself is outstanding. It’s not everyday that you find an author who uses the perfect balance of descriptive writing and dialogue. Throughout the entire book, the details of the scenery painted such a vivid picture that it felt as though I was standing in the crowd, watching the story unfold in real life. The relationships between the characters were complex. I especially liked the relationship between Georgie and Lindsey, and how their view of the same events differed so much. The only thing I would change about the book is how there was not as much focus on after the assault. I would have loved to see more of their lives afterwards, especially in the years immediately after. I also wound have liked to see the process of going to trial. The interviews with police, the way Lindsey’s family reacted, the way it changed her relationship with Joanna, the way the publicity impacted her new job, the way it changed the relationship between Georgie and Carol, how it impacted Berry’s upbringing. But, I could go on forever about how much I enjoyed this story. I cannot believe this is a debut novel. How? I hope the author has more books soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2020
I loved this book and it was a perfect distraction from everything that is going on in the world. The characters are really believable, and I felt I could relate to many of them. Each chapter hooks you in, and I literally couldn't stop reading. I think I finished the book in just a few days, and when I turned the last page, I wanted to start all over again! The story is packed with so many intricate themes, and it will be perfect for my book club!
June 5, 2020
Amateurish writing. OMG how many times.can you say toned in one book.
Amateurish writing. How many times can you describe a character as toned. This book was free and still.not worth the price
Amateurish writing. How many times can you describe a character as toned. This book was free and still.not worth the price
February 7, 2021
Well, at least this is a quick read.
Coming off a few really good thrillers, this novel just couldn’t measure up. I like the premise of the novel — Lindsey is 22, just graduated college, and desperate to find a job in her chosen field of art. She’s just spent 4 years at Bowdoin, a scholarship student that never feels like she belongs with her moneyed classmates. At graduation, one of her professors introduces her to an alumnus, and she becomes a nanny for his family on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer. One of the kids she’s supposed to keep an eye on is 14-year-old Georgie, who herself feels like she just doesn’t fit in with the thin, beautiful girls she’s grown up with. So this is a novel about both Lindsey’s and Georgie’s coming of age.
The thing that really gets me is the absolute shallowness of both characters. We keep hearing how this person or that is thin and beautiful, has long tanned legs, looks amazing in a string bikini. The focus on how large Lindsey’s breasts are is a little disturbing as well. Every single person on Martha’s Vineyard is apparently model-worthy... and somehow we’re supposed to care for them more because they’re the Beautiful People. Even Georgie all the time talks about how she’s never going to be accepted by her peers because she’s not as beautiful as everyone else, because that’s all that matters. The author is also super fond of dropping names of various designers in, like we should know what designer this character or that is wearing. There is just such a huge focus on how a person looks, that that is the only metric for "fitting in."
The big event of the story doesn’t even happen until two-thirds of the book, so as I’m reading I’m wondering what’s going to happen (though I really feel like most of the men in this book throw up every single red flag in the book, and it becomes obvious what the big event is going to be). The ending is also tied up a little too neatly, especially considering the numbers Lindsey’s lawyer is kind enough to point out.
Unfortunately the characters of this novel feel like cardboard cutouts. And while the pages did fly under my fingers, I was frustrated by the simplicity of the writing. I felt that the author over explained every single situation so we knew exactly what she was trying to convey, when we already understood it.
I can see how this would be a good beach read for some folks, but it just wasn’t for me.
Coming off a few really good thrillers, this novel just couldn’t measure up. I like the premise of the novel — Lindsey is 22, just graduated college, and desperate to find a job in her chosen field of art. She’s just spent 4 years at Bowdoin, a scholarship student that never feels like she belongs with her moneyed classmates. At graduation, one of her professors introduces her to an alumnus, and she becomes a nanny for his family on Martha’s Vineyard for the summer. One of the kids she’s supposed to keep an eye on is 14-year-old Georgie, who herself feels like she just doesn’t fit in with the thin, beautiful girls she’s grown up with. So this is a novel about both Lindsey’s and Georgie’s coming of age.
The thing that really gets me is the absolute shallowness of both characters. We keep hearing how this person or that is thin and beautiful, has long tanned legs, looks amazing in a string bikini. The focus on how large Lindsey’s breasts are is a little disturbing as well. Every single person on Martha’s Vineyard is apparently model-worthy... and somehow we’re supposed to care for them more because they’re the Beautiful People. Even Georgie all the time talks about how she’s never going to be accepted by her peers because she’s not as beautiful as everyone else, because that’s all that matters. The author is also super fond of dropping names of various designers in, like we should know what designer this character or that is wearing. There is just such a huge focus on how a person looks, that that is the only metric for "fitting in."
The big event of the story doesn’t even happen until two-thirds of the book, so as I’m reading I’m wondering what’s going to happen (though I really feel like most of the men in this book throw up every single red flag in the book, and it becomes obvious what the big event is going to be). The ending is also tied up a little too neatly, especially considering the numbers Lindsey’s lawyer is kind enough to point out.
Unfortunately the characters of this novel feel like cardboard cutouts. And while the pages did fly under my fingers, I was frustrated by the simplicity of the writing. I felt that the author over explained every single situation so we knew exactly what she was trying to convey, when we already understood it.
I can see how this would be a good beach read for some folks, but it just wasn’t for me.
June 3, 2020
Complex Coming-of-Age Story
This is a complex story, really a tale of two young women coming of age whose lives become enmeshed in a way that neither of them could have seen. The older one just graduated from college with an art degree; she takes her job as a nanny over the summer in the hopes that the family she is working for will help her get her foot in the door in the art world. The younger girl is the teenage daughter of that family who appears to be going through some typical rebellious teenage angst and has a need for independence and romance. The relationship between these two is complex even from the beginning, and that shifts when they go through an event that changes both of them and their relationship. The author's description of the setting was so evocative that I could imagine myself being there.
I did feel like the author had too much of an information dump at the beginning of the story that certainly slowed it down. I really do like it when authors weave backstory and motivations naturally into a story rather than just dumping it at all the beginning. The writing at times did feel a little dense, with long paragraphs of description and narrative that weren't broken up with dialogue and action. But I'm glad I stuck with the book as it truly did turn into a page-turning read as I wanted to see what would happen with these characters and. The story is certainly about coming of age as well as integrity, choices, and courage. The characterization is on point and complex; the young women are believable and relatable. I thought the author did well showing how nuanced female relationships could be, even between relatively young women. The plot felt predictable in the beginning, but then surprised me at times as the book moved on. Truly, a compelling, page-turning read.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
This is a complex story, really a tale of two young women coming of age whose lives become enmeshed in a way that neither of them could have seen. The older one just graduated from college with an art degree; she takes her job as a nanny over the summer in the hopes that the family she is working for will help her get her foot in the door in the art world. The younger girl is the teenage daughter of that family who appears to be going through some typical rebellious teenage angst and has a need for independence and romance. The relationship between these two is complex even from the beginning, and that shifts when they go through an event that changes both of them and their relationship. The author's description of the setting was so evocative that I could imagine myself being there.
I did feel like the author had too much of an information dump at the beginning of the story that certainly slowed it down. I really do like it when authors weave backstory and motivations naturally into a story rather than just dumping it at all the beginning. The writing at times did feel a little dense, with long paragraphs of description and narrative that weren't broken up with dialogue and action. But I'm glad I stuck with the book as it truly did turn into a page-turning read as I wanted to see what would happen with these characters and. The story is certainly about coming of age as well as integrity, choices, and courage. The characterization is on point and complex; the young women are believable and relatable. I thought the author did well showing how nuanced female relationships could be, even between relatively young women. The plot felt predictable in the beginning, but then surprised me at times as the book moved on. Truly, a compelling, page-turning read.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
June 9, 2020
4 stars / This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 14 June 2020.
Lindsey is about to graduate from Bowdoin with an art degree, but as yet she cannot find an internship or a job in her selected field. During the graduation luncheon, her professor introduces her to a family in need of a nanny. The last thing Lindsey wants to be is a nanny, but the family collects art and have connections that could help Lindsey. Plus, the job is to spend the summer on Martha’s Vineyard. How bad could it be?
Georgie is almost fifteen. She chose not to go to sleep away camp this summer so she could spend the whole summer on the Vineyard with her family. The only catch is that she has to work if she’s skipping camp. Georgie hopes she can get hired at the coolest place on the island. Maybe if that happens, her lifelong friends will let her back in the circle.
The book opens with a dream sequence but without telling us who is having the dream. Just that it is happening ten years after the summer on the Vineyard. It foreshadows something terrible that will happen. Gives us some insight into the fact that though Lindsey and Georgie were hoping for the perfect summer, the summer was not so perfect after all.
I felt like the book was a bit on the slow side to start, but as it progressed, it picked up steam. Both characters are trying so hard to be something other than their real selves. It’s kind of tragic how they want to fit into worlds that perhaps aren’t the best fit for them. The story is well written and quite the enjoyable read. The prologue sets the tone, and most of the novel is spent waiting for the other shoe to drop. In the end I greatly enjoyed this read.
Lindsey is about to graduate from Bowdoin with an art degree, but as yet she cannot find an internship or a job in her selected field. During the graduation luncheon, her professor introduces her to a family in need of a nanny. The last thing Lindsey wants to be is a nanny, but the family collects art and have connections that could help Lindsey. Plus, the job is to spend the summer on Martha’s Vineyard. How bad could it be?
Georgie is almost fifteen. She chose not to go to sleep away camp this summer so she could spend the whole summer on the Vineyard with her family. The only catch is that she has to work if she’s skipping camp. Georgie hopes she can get hired at the coolest place on the island. Maybe if that happens, her lifelong friends will let her back in the circle.
The book opens with a dream sequence but without telling us who is having the dream. Just that it is happening ten years after the summer on the Vineyard. It foreshadows something terrible that will happen. Gives us some insight into the fact that though Lindsey and Georgie were hoping for the perfect summer, the summer was not so perfect after all.
I felt like the book was a bit on the slow side to start, but as it progressed, it picked up steam. Both characters are trying so hard to be something other than their real selves. It’s kind of tragic how they want to fit into worlds that perhaps aren’t the best fit for them. The story is well written and quite the enjoyable read. The prologue sets the tone, and most of the novel is spent waiting for the other shoe to drop. In the end I greatly enjoyed this read.
June 22, 2020
Slow. Then Wow. This debut book is very much a slow burn. A recent college graduate circa 2009 becomes the nanny for a Martha's Vineyard family, only to realize that there is much going on behind the scenes. One of her two charges, a 14yo girl, is coming of age at the same time and realizing that things are not always as they seem. Then, right around the 2/3 mark, The Event happens. Beyond saying that it ties into #MeToo, which is general enough to note a wide range within a given type of event, I'll say no more about The Event itself. But both women experienced it, and the back quarter (ish) of the book flashes forward a decade to how it has shaped both of them. To the #MeToo era itself, though this is never directly mentioned in the text by that name. And it is here the book ends, with some of the heaviest punches outside of The Event itself. But who knows, maybe, for me, that was due to my own life and how I know all too well how trauma can shape a life, and thus identified remarkably well with a now early 20s and mid 30s female despite being a late 30s (ugh) male myself. Truly a remarkable debut, and I'm very much looking forward to more from Ms. Spiro. Very much recommended.
August 9, 2020
Thank you to Book Club Cookbook for this book.
I loved how in the beginning Lindsey lived in Rockville, MD, since that's where I live.
This was an interesting and sobering book about nannying for the Summer on Martha's Vineyard and how things can go wrong. Lindsey was 23 and looking for a job in the art world after graduating college and her former professor hooked her up with a family who is friends with an art gallery co-owner in Boston for maybe a Fall job. Come to find out that Georgie, the 14 year daughter really liked his son Brian but he liked Lindsey. It gets all twisted with other characters and stories with he said/she said and a big secret that both Georgie and Lindsey kept a secret for 10 years both feeling guilty. The ending brought it together and justice 10 years later.
The person I really loved was Robert (Berty) who was 5 at the beginning of the book and a freshman in high school 10 years later. I felt like I was growing up with both Georgie and Berty during that Summer.
I loved how in the beginning Lindsey lived in Rockville, MD, since that's where I live.
This was an interesting and sobering book about nannying for the Summer on Martha's Vineyard and how things can go wrong. Lindsey was 23 and looking for a job in the art world after graduating college and her former professor hooked her up with a family who is friends with an art gallery co-owner in Boston for maybe a Fall job. Come to find out that Georgie, the 14 year daughter really liked his son Brian but he liked Lindsey. It gets all twisted with other characters and stories with he said/she said and a big secret that both Georgie and Lindsey kept a secret for 10 years both feeling guilty. The ending brought it together and justice 10 years later.
The person I really loved was Robert (Berty) who was 5 at the beginning of the book and a freshman in high school 10 years later. I felt like I was growing up with both Georgie and Berty during that Summer.
August 19, 2020
This is what I call a good sunbed read although I didn't actually read it on a sun bed! Contemporary womens fiction at it's best.
From a fresh voice in fiction, this poignant and timely novel explores the strength and nuance of female friendship, the cost of ambition, and the courage it takes to speak the truth.
Here’s the thing about secrets: they change shape over time, become blurry with memory, until the truth is nearly lost.
2009. Lindsey and Georgie have high hopes for their summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In the wake of the recession, ambitious college graduate Lindsey accepts a job as a nanny for an influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Georgie, the eldest child in that family, is nearly fifteen and eager to find herself, dreaming of independence and yearning for first love.
Over the course of that formative summer, the two young women develop a close bond. Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares them both in the throes of a terrible secret. Their budding friendship is shattered, and neither one can speak of what happened that night for ten long years.
Until now. Lindsey and Georgie must confront the past after all this time. Their quest for justice will require costly sacrifices, but it also might give them the closure they need to move on. All they know for sure is that when the truth is revealed, their lives will be forever changed once again.
From a fresh voice in fiction, this poignant and timely novel explores the strength and nuance of female friendship, the cost of ambition, and the courage it takes to speak the truth.
Here’s the thing about secrets: they change shape over time, become blurry with memory, until the truth is nearly lost.
2009. Lindsey and Georgie have high hopes for their summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In the wake of the recession, ambitious college graduate Lindsey accepts a job as a nanny for an influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Georgie, the eldest child in that family, is nearly fifteen and eager to find herself, dreaming of independence and yearning for first love.
Over the course of that formative summer, the two young women develop a close bond. Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares them both in the throes of a terrible secret. Their budding friendship is shattered, and neither one can speak of what happened that night for ten long years.
Until now. Lindsey and Georgie must confront the past after all this time. Their quest for justice will require costly sacrifices, but it also might give them the closure they need to move on. All they know for sure is that when the truth is revealed, their lives will be forever changed once again.
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