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My Secret to Tell
"As addictive as it is unpredictable."―Natasha Preston, New York Times bestselling author of The Twin and The Cellar From Natalie D. Richards, the New York Times bestselling author of YA psychological thriller books, comes a romance suspense story about a girl who helps the boy next door―but he might be dangerous, perfect for fans of Megan Miranda and Karen McManus. Emerson May is "the good girl." She's the perfect daughter, the caring friend, the animal shelter volunteer. But when her best friend's brother breaks into her room, his hands covered in blood, she doesn't scream or call the cops. Because when Deacon smiles at her, Emmie doesn't want to be good… The whole town believes notorious troublemaker Deacon is guilty of assaulting his father. Only Emmie knows a secret that could set him free. But if she follows her heart, she could be trusting a killer… You can't always trust the boy next door. Perfect for readers who want: Teenage mystery books Page-turning romance Edge-of-your-seat twists Also by Natalie D. Richards: Five Total Strangers Six Months Later Gone Too Far One Was Lost We All Fall Down What You Hide Praise for My Secret to Tell : "Brimming with suspense and intrigue."―Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls "[R]eaders who enjoy heavy doses of psychological and romantic tension will not be disappointed."― VOYA "Plenty of fun and plenty to relate to in this coming-of-age romance with an adrenaline rush."― Kirkus Reviews
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 295 reviews
March 21, 2016
Disclosures ahead...
I critique with Natalie. I'm sure that isn't a surprise to anyone who follows me on Twitter because it's nothing but pictures of Tripp and pictures of Nat's books over there.
Anyway, as I said, I critique with Nat so I've seen this book since the very first draft and I still love it, like want to roll around in it I love it so much.
Also? I don't recap because other people will do a better job.
Still here? Okay. Emmy is one of my favorite heroines. She's sweet and slightly neurotic (okay, maybe more than slightly :)). She's someone you want to be friends with.
And Deacon? Wow. He's angry, sarcastic, and drop-dead gorgeous. The two of them have crazy chemistry.
The setting is sweltering. It's set in Beaufort, NC and you can practically taste the salty air.
I loved the mystery. The final revelation was super fresh to me. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I also loved how Nat played with expectations right up until the end. I HIGHLY recommend this one. If you like your boys a little on the bad side, if you enjoy your mysteries with a good dose of romance, this should be a perfect read.
I critique with Natalie. I'm sure that isn't a surprise to anyone who follows me on Twitter because it's nothing but pictures of Tripp and pictures of Nat's books over there.
Anyway, as I said, I critique with Nat so I've seen this book since the very first draft and I still love it, like want to roll around in it I love it so much.
Also? I don't recap because other people will do a better job.
Still here? Okay. Emmy is one of my favorite heroines. She's sweet and slightly neurotic (okay, maybe more than slightly :)). She's someone you want to be friends with.
And Deacon? Wow. He's angry, sarcastic, and drop-dead gorgeous. The two of them have crazy chemistry.
The setting is sweltering. It's set in Beaufort, NC and you can practically taste the salty air.
I loved the mystery. The final revelation was super fresh to me. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I also loved how Nat played with expectations right up until the end. I HIGHLY recommend this one. If you like your boys a little on the bad side, if you enjoy your mysteries with a good dose of romance, this should be a perfect read.
December 30, 2015
My Secret to Tell was the first book I’d read by author Natalie D. Richards. It’s not often I find myself reaching for a YA thriller but sometimes I need to try something different and My Secret to Tell sounded like an interesting read so I thought why not.
The story is about a girl called Emmie who has always had a crush on her best friend’s brother. Trouble is Deacon is trouble. He’s been in trouble with the police a number of times and everyone always seems to see the bad side of him especially his father who he doesn’t get along with but, not Emmie. She sees the good side. The side that he hides from everyone else. But when Deacon turns up at Emmie’s house one night covered in blood that belongs to his father, Emmie doesn’t know what to believe. Does she believe that Deacon hurt his father like everyone else in town or does she know the real Deacon, the one that would never hurt someone?
With My Secret to Tell being a mystery/thriller it had a lot of twists to the story. I wasn’t expecting it to be so dangerous and Emmie and Deacon’s story really was. Deacon is basically framed for hurting his Dad which was properly the easiest part of the story to work out, however, the why’s and when’s and all the other questions that come with this book weren’t very easily predicted and I enjoyed discovering the answers along with the characters. I really liked Emmie and Deacon. I thought they were good characters and they easily held my attention. Some of the other characters weren’t as likable but I guess that’s a given with the nature of the story. I didn’t go into it with a lot of expectations and I think this helped because while the story didn’t blow me away it was one I certainly liked and even so made me go an buy the author’s debut novel Six Months Later.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is about a girl called Emmie who has always had a crush on her best friend’s brother. Trouble is Deacon is trouble. He’s been in trouble with the police a number of times and everyone always seems to see the bad side of him especially his father who he doesn’t get along with but, not Emmie. She sees the good side. The side that he hides from everyone else. But when Deacon turns up at Emmie’s house one night covered in blood that belongs to his father, Emmie doesn’t know what to believe. Does she believe that Deacon hurt his father like everyone else in town or does she know the real Deacon, the one that would never hurt someone?
With My Secret to Tell being a mystery/thriller it had a lot of twists to the story. I wasn’t expecting it to be so dangerous and Emmie and Deacon’s story really was. Deacon is basically framed for hurting his Dad which was properly the easiest part of the story to work out, however, the why’s and when’s and all the other questions that come with this book weren’t very easily predicted and I enjoyed discovering the answers along with the characters. I really liked Emmie and Deacon. I thought they were good characters and they easily held my attention. Some of the other characters weren’t as likable but I guess that’s a given with the nature of the story. I didn’t go into it with a lot of expectations and I think this helped because while the story didn’t blow me away it was one I certainly liked and even so made me go an buy the author’s debut novel Six Months Later.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2015
I really enjoyed Natalie D. Richards' debut novel. It had the perfect balance of suspense and romance, and overall it was just the kind of book for me. I was looking forward to reading My Secret to Tell because it seemed like a story told in the same vein as her debut. Unfortunately, I was left feeling let down by this novel at first.
What I Liked
- I thought the characters were well-written. Overall, Emmie was a smart heroine who based her judgments and decisions on facts. She was a good heroine for a book like this one. That being said, I couldn't really connect with her or her personality. There was just something about her that didn't allow me to reach her emotions.
- I think the author is a really good writer. She knows how to craft these entertaining stories and knows to hook her readers in.
What I Didn't Like
- Deacon's character felt off to me. Perhaps if we were privy to his inner thoughts and feelings I would have felt a deeper connection to him and understood him better? Even by the end of the book though, I wasn't convinced by his character though.
- The mystery itself in My Secret to Tell was predictable. I don't know what it is about most YA mystery books, but I'm easily able to guess what happened. In this one, it was very much obvious and took away from my enjoyment of the story.
- I just didn't feel for the romance in this one at all. It had the potential to be amazing and swoony, but because Deacon's character was shaky for me, so was the romance.
Overall, this wasn't the best read for me. If I had to recommend a book by this author, it would have to be her debut.
November 13, 2015
“My Secret to Tell” is a combination of mystery and “bad boy” romance which is blissfully free of love triangles.
The characters of Emmie and Deacon were a lot of fun to read. Their banter felt natural and not at all forced. They also did not suffer from instalove, and I appreciate that fact quite a bit. Emmie faces many of the problems that most young adults face, including parental expectations versus personal wants. Deacon has quite a few problems, but many of the problems have a good cause. What I particularly liked was that none of the problems, good reason or not, are actually excused as appropriate behavior. That includes from Emmie. How often does unblinded love happen in a young adult romance? Not enough.
The plot was fun, though I did figure out a good bit of the twist before it was revealed at the end. That’s the reason I gave it four stars instead of five. It’s a quick read. While not completely light, it also isn’t too heavy, so it’s a nice book to take on a vacation or read during downtime. I’d also like to mention that the descriptions of the North Carolina coast are beautiful and completely accurate. If you have a love of the area, you will enjoy it for that alone.
I recommend “My Secret to Tell” for young adults and adults alike who are looking for an enjoyable read.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The characters of Emmie and Deacon were a lot of fun to read. Their banter felt natural and not at all forced. They also did not suffer from instalove, and I appreciate that fact quite a bit. Emmie faces many of the problems that most young adults face, including parental expectations versus personal wants. Deacon has quite a few problems, but many of the problems have a good cause. What I particularly liked was that none of the problems, good reason or not, are actually excused as appropriate behavior. That includes from Emmie. How often does unblinded love happen in a young adult romance? Not enough.
The plot was fun, though I did figure out a good bit of the twist before it was revealed at the end. That’s the reason I gave it four stars instead of five. It’s a quick read. While not completely light, it also isn’t too heavy, so it’s a nice book to take on a vacation or read during downtime. I’d also like to mention that the descriptions of the North Carolina coast are beautiful and completely accurate. If you have a love of the area, you will enjoy it for that alone.
I recommend “My Secret to Tell” for young adults and adults alike who are looking for an enjoyable read.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2015
I skimmed through the blurb for My Secret to Tell and went into the story with an open mind. I knew it had some mystery about it surrounding the family that Emmie was close friends with, but I didn't know what secrets they were hiding so my interest was totally piqued.
From the opening chapter, I got pulled into an intense moment where Emmie's best friend tells her that her father has been terribly assaulted. I instantly became curious and I wanted to know why Deacon was at Emmie's house looking guilty. At first I thought "well, it must be him". But then I quickly retracted because it would be too easy to simply assumed he did it. And as the story progressed, I figured out the deal with one person in particular because of how overly nice he was, along with his behavior towards Deacon. But I didn't understand why he'd do that to the family he claimed to care about and who else was working with him. It was clear to me that it wasn't a one man operation.
I found myself relating to Emmie's character in regards to how she's always trying to help others; wanting to find solutions and make everyone happy. Like her, I have a tendency to hold back my feelings and not stir the pot, so to speak. In Emmie's case, she was trying hard to live up to her mother's expectations and make her proud in the way that her brother had failed. So in spite of the situation, being caught up with Deacon and going against her parents when they told her to stay away from him helped her toughen up more, I think. And I was happy when she stood up to her mom about what she wanted.
I wouldn't call this a romantic suspense because even though Emmie had a crush on Deacon and he felt the same way, the situation was just too intense and their main focus was on clearing his name and figuring out who had attacked his father and why. That's understandable because I feel if the romance aspect was acted on too much then that would have taken away from the suspenseful elements of the story, and I liked that each page had me curious and wanting to know what the hell was going on and what sort of secrets were being kept. But I can't dismiss that it was sweet when they finally shared an intimate moment. No matter how short.
All in all, I liked that Richards had me guessing about various characters' involvement and whether or not this person could be trusted. I also liked how quick of a read it was; the writing style was fluid, and details were well-balanced. My Secret to Tell is a good story with chilling moments, especially that ending. The author had me at the edge of my seat. Loved how everything worked out for the characters, and I feel everyone got what they deserved.
From the opening chapter, I got pulled into an intense moment where Emmie's best friend tells her that her father has been terribly assaulted. I instantly became curious and I wanted to know why Deacon was at Emmie's house looking guilty. At first I thought "well, it must be him". But then I quickly retracted because it would be too easy to simply assumed he did it. And as the story progressed, I figured out the deal with one person in particular because of how overly nice he was, along with his behavior towards Deacon. But I didn't understand why he'd do that to the family he claimed to care about and who else was working with him. It was clear to me that it wasn't a one man operation.
I found myself relating to Emmie's character in regards to how she's always trying to help others; wanting to find solutions and make everyone happy. Like her, I have a tendency to hold back my feelings and not stir the pot, so to speak. In Emmie's case, she was trying hard to live up to her mother's expectations and make her proud in the way that her brother had failed. So in spite of the situation, being caught up with Deacon and going against her parents when they told her to stay away from him helped her toughen up more, I think. And I was happy when she stood up to her mom about what she wanted.
I wouldn't call this a romantic suspense because even though Emmie had a crush on Deacon and he felt the same way, the situation was just too intense and their main focus was on clearing his name and figuring out who had attacked his father and why. That's understandable because I feel if the romance aspect was acted on too much then that would have taken away from the suspenseful elements of the story, and I liked that each page had me curious and wanting to know what the hell was going on and what sort of secrets were being kept. But I can't dismiss that it was sweet when they finally shared an intimate moment. No matter how short.
All in all, I liked that Richards had me guessing about various characters' involvement and whether or not this person could be trusted. I also liked how quick of a read it was; the writing style was fluid, and details were well-balanced. My Secret to Tell is a good story with chilling moments, especially that ending. The author had me at the edge of my seat. Loved how everything worked out for the characters, and I feel everyone got what they deserved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2015
This is a riveting page turner, a psychological mystery thriller with teen sleuths that keeps the reader enthralled and guessing.
Emerson May is a fixer, she's OCD about keeping things ordered and clean but she's also had a crush on her best friend's brother, local heartthrob and 'bad' boy, Deacon, for years. When Deacon and Chelsea's father is found badly beaten up, Deacon is with him and runs. He runs Emerson (Emmie) who helps clean him up and also helps him escape. After that, nothing is quite what or who they seem! As Emmie tries to keep Deke safe, they find themselves in an ever deepening quagmire of danger, deceit and double dealing. Little did they know they'd be putting their own lives on the line as they endeavour to discover who beat up and nearly killed his father - and why.
I really enjoyed this fast paced yet complex mystery. It was told from the point of view of Emmie and she was very easy to relate to. As she discovers more about her own dysfunctional family and is unsure who it is safe to trust this psychological thriller keeps you guessing and enthralled to the very end. I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who enjoys this genre - and wish to thank the publishers for inviting me to read an ARC of this superb story in exchange for this, my honest review. I'll certainly be looking out for more books by this highly skilled author in future!
Emerson May is a fixer, she's OCD about keeping things ordered and clean but she's also had a crush on her best friend's brother, local heartthrob and 'bad' boy, Deacon, for years. When Deacon and Chelsea's father is found badly beaten up, Deacon is with him and runs. He runs Emerson (Emmie) who helps clean him up and also helps him escape. After that, nothing is quite what or who they seem! As Emmie tries to keep Deke safe, they find themselves in an ever deepening quagmire of danger, deceit and double dealing. Little did they know they'd be putting their own lives on the line as they endeavour to discover who beat up and nearly killed his father - and why.
I really enjoyed this fast paced yet complex mystery. It was told from the point of view of Emmie and she was very easy to relate to. As she discovers more about her own dysfunctional family and is unsure who it is safe to trust this psychological thriller keeps you guessing and enthralled to the very end. I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who enjoys this genre - and wish to thank the publishers for inviting me to read an ARC of this superb story in exchange for this, my honest review. I'll certainly be looking out for more books by this highly skilled author in future!
July 8, 2017
Emerson May is your perfect example of how someone should act and is a super organizer. She is the perfect daughter, volunteers and gets good grades. The other thing she is is a good friend. The thing though is that her friends are frowned upon from her family and labeled as troublemakers. Walking home from work one night, Emerson receives a phone call from her best friend, Chelsea. Her dad was beaten and has ended up in ICU, and her brother Deacon is nowhere to be found. Turns out though that Emerson doesn't have to look far as he is sitting in her bathroom covered in his dad's blood. Emerson cleans him up and tries as much as she can to get the truth of what happened that night from him. It turns out that the police aren't looking too far for a suspect as they believe Deacon is responsible for harming and trying to kill his Dad. This is the same person who goes catatonic at the sight of blood due to the way his mom died when they were younger. It seems that Emerson is the only one who believes that Deacon is innocent, even her best friend Chelsea believes her brother is guilty. What will happen though when during the case secrets and lies are revealed and ones that will start to make everyone a suspect? In My Secret to Tell, Emerson will have to put on her Nancy Drew hat to decipher what's what and find the truth before her friend goes down for an attempted murder he didn't commit. Can Emerson find the truth though before she ends up in trouble like Chelsea's dad? Find out in this Edgy YA Mystery from Natalie D. Richards - My Secret to Tell.
September 24, 2015
I loved the premise of this and the implied redemption aspect of the plot, sadly it wasn't what I was expecting.
I didn't care for Emmie or Deacon. She came across as very young and quite OCD {even though it wasn't actually addressed}. He is a very clichéd bad boy with a temper. I get that her need to constantly clean and plan was supposed to translate into a nurturing personality, but it fell flat. I didn't see the chemistry between them, which bummed me out because that's the part I really wanted to read.
I enjoyed the overall plot. It was fast paced and there were a lot of twists. I had an idea as to who the bad guy was, but there were several times I second guessed my selection.
I'm sure this will appeal to a lot of other readers, but ultimately, I couldn't connect with either of the MCs, so I didn't care too much about their journey.
**Huge thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I didn't care for Emmie or Deacon. She came across as very young and quite OCD {even though it wasn't actually addressed}. He is a very clichéd bad boy with a temper. I get that her need to constantly clean and plan was supposed to translate into a nurturing personality, but it fell flat. I didn't see the chemistry between them, which bummed me out because that's the part I really wanted to read.
I enjoyed the overall plot. It was fast paced and there were a lot of twists. I had an idea as to who the bad guy was, but there were several times I second guessed my selection.
I'm sure this will appeal to a lot of other readers, but ultimately, I couldn't connect with either of the MCs, so I didn't care too much about their journey.
**Huge thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
October 22, 2020
Apparently, Natalie D. Richards is going to set the tone for my spooky season.
This one felt different than the rest of her books.
My Secret to Tell follows sixteen year old Emmie, whose mother dreams of her being a lawyer. Which leads to her working as Joel's assistant at his office. It wouldn't be a teen book without a little romance, so obviously this office overlooks the boat tours, run by none other than Emmie's everlasting crush, Deacon.
It's a cute book with a bit of suspense.
-BUT-
I was fully prepared to make this one of my favorite Nat Richards books, but then she brought the teens-solving-mysteries-before-the-police aspect in and I'm not usually a fan of that. I just can't wrap my head around the logic of kids uncovering a smuggling ring of some sort, AND THEN STEALING THE EVIDENCE AND MOVING IT AWAY FROM THE CRIME SCENE and the the cops are like "Golly, kids, thanks so much we've been working with the FBI on this and couldn't get any leeway, but this backpack filled with stolen goods will definitely help!"
Like, no. Stop.
Regardless, I still devoured this book.
Reviews for other Natalie D. Richards books can be found at A Reader's Diary!
This one felt different than the rest of her books.
My Secret to Tell follows sixteen year old Emmie, whose mother dreams of her being a lawyer. Which leads to her working as Joel's assistant at his office. It wouldn't be a teen book without a little romance, so obviously this office overlooks the boat tours, run by none other than Emmie's everlasting crush, Deacon.
It's a cute book with a bit of suspense.
-BUT-
I was fully prepared to make this one of my favorite Nat Richards books, but then she brought the teens-solving-mysteries-before-the-police aspect in and I'm not usually a fan of that. I just can't wrap my head around the logic of kids uncovering a smuggling ring of some sort, AND THEN STEALING THE EVIDENCE AND MOVING IT AWAY FROM THE CRIME SCENE and the the cops are like "Golly, kids, thanks so much we've been working with the FBI on this and couldn't get any leeway, but this backpack filled with stolen goods will definitely help!"
Like, no. Stop.
Regardless, I still devoured this book.
Reviews for other Natalie D. Richards books can be found at A Reader's Diary!
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November 19, 2018RTC
March 20, 2025
‧₊˚𖦹 ⋆.☘︎ ݁˖🃏🔍
"i want to kiss you, emmie. because you give me shit and you plan too much and you try to fix everything. most of all because you're here, believing in me when the whole damn world has walked away."
thoughts ———
‧₊ ⌗ ⚓️ ⋅ ˚✮ oh how i love this. dare i say this may be a comfort read??? the romance was so cute, i love deacon and emmie <33 i wish we got deacon's pov, i would've loved to see into his mind. the characters were written soooo well and i loved the plot. the plot twist??? oh my god. the ending with emmie, deacon & chelsea was adorable☹️ my only complaint is that the story kinda felt dragged on at some parts but otherwise i loved this!!
characters ———
‧₊ ⌗ ☁️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ emmie .ᐟ ⋮
shes such a cutie i love her so much!! i hated how her parents kept bringing up her brother or compared her to him☹️ i was so proud of her when she stood up to her mother at parts!!! i loved how she was always taking care of deacon whenever he needed it, and i loved how deacon was always there for her whenever she needed it <33 i wish we got to see more of her ocd tendencies but it was only mentioned whenever there was a mess :((
‧₊ ⌗ 🎞️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ deacon .ᐟ ⋮
my love🫶🫶 you guys dont understand how obsessed i am with him. the scene where he pushed past his fear of blood just to help bandage emmie's hand??? oh i became obsessed. i loved him from the moment he was introduced but he stole my heart not even halfway through the book.
‧₊ ⌗ 🍫 ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ chelsea .ᐟ ⋮
i wanted to like her and at times i did but i hated how she treated deacon and emmie at the hospital. i get why she did but oh my god. she definitely did grow on me at the end!!! i love her friendship with emmie.
‧₊ ⌗ ⏱️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ others.ᐟ ⋮
when i say almost everyone else annoyed me i mean everyone. i hated emmies parents so much, especially her mom. also the sheriff annoyed me way more than anyone but im glad he got his character development at the end!!!
‧₊ ⌗ ⋅ ˚✮ .ᐟ
"is this what grief does? does it strip away every good and sweet thing until there's nothing left but darkness?"
‧₊˚𖦹 ⋆.☘︎ ݁˖📌🎭
"i want to kiss you, emmie. because you give me shit and you plan too much and you try to fix everything. most of all because you're here, believing in me when the whole damn world has walked away."
thoughts ———
‧₊ ⌗ ⚓️ ⋅ ˚✮ oh how i love this. dare i say this may be a comfort read??? the romance was so cute, i love deacon and emmie <33 i wish we got deacon's pov, i would've loved to see into his mind. the characters were written soooo well and i loved the plot. the plot twist??? oh my god. the ending with emmie, deacon & chelsea was adorable☹️ my only complaint is that the story kinda felt dragged on at some parts but otherwise i loved this!!
characters ———
‧₊ ⌗ ☁️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ emmie .ᐟ ⋮
shes such a cutie i love her so much!! i hated how her parents kept bringing up her brother or compared her to him☹️ i was so proud of her when she stood up to her mother at parts!!! i loved how she was always taking care of deacon whenever he needed it, and i loved how deacon was always there for her whenever she needed it <33 i wish we got to see more of her ocd tendencies but it was only mentioned whenever there was a mess :((
‧₊ ⌗ 🎞️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ deacon .ᐟ ⋮
my love🫶🫶 you guys dont understand how obsessed i am with him. the scene where he pushed past his fear of blood just to help bandage emmie's hand??? oh i became obsessed. i loved him from the moment he was introduced but he stole my heart not even halfway through the book.
‧₊ ⌗ 🍫 ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ chelsea .ᐟ ⋮
i wanted to like her and at times i did but i hated how she treated deacon and emmie at the hospital. i get why she did but oh my god. she definitely did grow on me at the end!!! i love her friendship with emmie.
‧₊ ⌗ ⏱️ ⋅ ˚✮ ⋮ others.ᐟ ⋮
when i say almost everyone else annoyed me i mean everyone. i hated emmies parents so much, especially her mom. also the sheriff annoyed me way more than anyone but im glad he got his character development at the end!!!
‧₊ ⌗ ⋅ ˚✮ .ᐟ
"is this what grief does? does it strip away every good and sweet thing until there's nothing left but darkness?"
‧₊˚𖦹 ⋆.☘︎ ݁˖📌🎭
October 20, 2022
This book just wasn’t for me.
Deacon is 18 and Emmie is 17. They acted their ages so when they were trying to be detectives and find out what was happening, it was annoying because there weren’t any details, and they talked to the wrong people.
There wasn’t much relationship development. Deacon knows that Emmie has a crush on him, and he tells her that he returns it and that was about it. The rest of the book is them finding out what happened to Deacon’s father.
I didn’t really like any of the characters. Emmie was fine, but Deacon was mostly in the background so you don’t really see his personality. I didn’t like the rest of the characters because they were either not trustworthy, or they didn’t communicate with Emmie properly.
This book wasn’t for me, and I don’t think that I’m going to be interested in reading more books by this author as a lot of them seem to be YA.
Deacon is 18 and Emmie is 17. They acted their ages so when they were trying to be detectives and find out what was happening, it was annoying because there weren’t any details, and they talked to the wrong people.
There wasn’t much relationship development. Deacon knows that Emmie has a crush on him, and he tells her that he returns it and that was about it. The rest of the book is them finding out what happened to Deacon’s father.
I didn’t really like any of the characters. Emmie was fine, but Deacon was mostly in the background so you don’t really see his personality. I didn’t like the rest of the characters because they were either not trustworthy, or they didn’t communicate with Emmie properly.
This book wasn’t for me, and I don’t think that I’m going to be interested in reading more books by this author as a lot of them seem to be YA.
May 20, 2023
A turn-your-brain-off book that isn’t super original but hits the right beats. I needed something like this because grad school has turned my brain into a noodle.
December 30, 2015
3.5 stars rounding up to 4 because I liked it more than a 3.
Emerson does everything right… she’s an amazing friend, she’s volunteers and she never gets in trouble. But she’s had a crush on her best friends brother for years and he’s the poster child for trouble.
When Deacon shows up in her bedroom covered in blood and practically catatonic she doesn’t ask questions… she simply helps him, because that’s what she does. But she quickly finds out that everyone thinks Deacon assaulted his father and with his temper it’s entirely possible. When it comes down to it though she still has some reservations, she just can’t imagine it was him so she sets out to help Deacon in any way she can.
But if Deacon didn’t do it… who did, and why?
That is the basis of this story. Told from Emmie’s point of view, we only know what she knows, which provides a lot of mystery. I distinctly remember thinking I knew who did it, and as the story progressed I changed my mind and then changed my mind again, so Richards does a really amazing job of keeping the suspense throughout. I have to say my early suspicions were proven correct, but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why so that was a total surprise and something I wasn’t really expecting.
I really enjoy the characters that Richards creates in her stories, and I feel the same about both Emmie and Deacon here. I loved that Richards didn’t let Emmie be swayed by her crush on a boy, simply believing everything he said because she liked him… instead she used her smarts to find out the truth. Deacon, who’s a year or two older than Emmie, is the notorious player who hasn’t really noticed her all these years. And I really love when there is a friendship to build a relationship off of which we definitely have here, so that was a bonus to their finding that spark within each other.
Though I think my issues with the story was that under the circumstances and where the story starts there was little time for as much romance as I would have liked to see in this story, I do kind of wish we had gotten more. I also felt like a lot of the build to why Deacon finally noticed her or why Emmie was interested in him wasn’t there and therefore I didn’t feel the connection between them as much as I would have liked.
My Secret To Tell is definitely going to appeal to fans of YA suspense and mystery with just a hint of romance. The story itself is fast paced and well plotted and full of intrigue… and it just might keep you guessing who the bad guy really is until the very end.
I’m definitely going to be reading anything Richards writes in the future and if you haven’t picked up any of her titles I urge you to do so… everything she writes is unique and interesting and you just can’t go wrong!
Emerson does everything right… she’s an amazing friend, she’s volunteers and she never gets in trouble. But she’s had a crush on her best friends brother for years and he’s the poster child for trouble.
When Deacon shows up in her bedroom covered in blood and practically catatonic she doesn’t ask questions… she simply helps him, because that’s what she does. But she quickly finds out that everyone thinks Deacon assaulted his father and with his temper it’s entirely possible. When it comes down to it though she still has some reservations, she just can’t imagine it was him so she sets out to help Deacon in any way she can.
But if Deacon didn’t do it… who did, and why?
That is the basis of this story. Told from Emmie’s point of view, we only know what she knows, which provides a lot of mystery. I distinctly remember thinking I knew who did it, and as the story progressed I changed my mind and then changed my mind again, so Richards does a really amazing job of keeping the suspense throughout. I have to say my early suspicions were proven correct, but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why so that was a total surprise and something I wasn’t really expecting.
I really enjoy the characters that Richards creates in her stories, and I feel the same about both Emmie and Deacon here. I loved that Richards didn’t let Emmie be swayed by her crush on a boy, simply believing everything he said because she liked him… instead she used her smarts to find out the truth. Deacon, who’s a year or two older than Emmie, is the notorious player who hasn’t really noticed her all these years. And I really love when there is a friendship to build a relationship off of which we definitely have here, so that was a bonus to their finding that spark within each other.
Though I think my issues with the story was that under the circumstances and where the story starts there was little time for as much romance as I would have liked to see in this story, I do kind of wish we had gotten more. I also felt like a lot of the build to why Deacon finally noticed her or why Emmie was interested in him wasn’t there and therefore I didn’t feel the connection between them as much as I would have liked.
My Secret To Tell is definitely going to appeal to fans of YA suspense and mystery with just a hint of romance. The story itself is fast paced and well plotted and full of intrigue… and it just might keep you guessing who the bad guy really is until the very end.
I’m definitely going to be reading anything Richards writes in the future and if you haven’t picked up any of her titles I urge you to do so… everything she writes is unique and interesting and you just can’t go wrong!
September 10, 2015
3.5 Stars!
This one read quite differently for a YA to me. Yes, it had the teenage girl whining does he like, do I like him. But the story seemed to be for a little bit older group than YA, although I'm sure they would enjoy it.
At the beginning, I almost gave up on the book because I was a little (okay a lot) sick of hearing Emmie complain about Derrick and where was he, blah, blah, blah. Thankfully, we got away from that and the action started. I think the book could have been shortened and that part left out and it would have been a much better book. Although I was entertained and did enjoy it once it started picking up. There was another time when the action got going towards the end and then all of a sudden it slowed down and they were not in danger and had time to mug down or whatever. I mean my heart beat was rising and I was really getting into it and then BAM, nothing. I felt I need a cold shower before I could finish the book. My senses were so ready for some action and to see what in the heck was going on here. It was a good read, just a few little technicalities for me.
Thanks Sourcebooks and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
This one read quite differently for a YA to me. Yes, it had the teenage girl whining does he like, do I like him. But the story seemed to be for a little bit older group than YA, although I'm sure they would enjoy it.
At the beginning, I almost gave up on the book because I was a little (okay a lot) sick of hearing Emmie complain about Derrick and where was he, blah, blah, blah. Thankfully, we got away from that and the action started. I think the book could have been shortened and that part left out and it would have been a much better book. Although I was entertained and did enjoy it once it started picking up. There was another time when the action got going towards the end and then all of a sudden it slowed down and they were not in danger and had time to mug down or whatever. I mean my heart beat was rising and I was really getting into it and then BAM, nothing. I felt I need a cold shower before I could finish the book. My senses were so ready for some action and to see what in the heck was going on here. It was a good read, just a few little technicalities for me.
Thanks Sourcebooks and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2015
Great, fast paced story. It made turning the pages easy and quick.
But, I did take issue with Emmie. She was just a little too pliable, a little too "I have to be what my parents expect" that I had a tough time finding her believable. And her parents and their need for her to be something they've decided was completely awful.
But, I did take issue with Emmie. She was just a little too pliable, a little too "I have to be what my parents expect" that I had a tough time finding her believable. And her parents and their need for her to be something they've decided was completely awful.
Read
August 3, 2016I did guess the villain right off but I thought this was a really well-crafted romantic suspense story. Longer review to come.
February 3, 2025
I honestly believe this author is a guilty pleasure of mine...
October 5, 2015
Review is also posted on
*I received digital ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through Netgalley*
This is the first book I picked out from my TBR list after my long hiatus of reading so I kind of expected a lot from it to be a good starter. Good thing that My Secret to Tell wasn’t just live up to my expectation (which was ‘containing sweet romance’) but it also brought out a thrilling vibe within the plot that I welcomed warmly ‘cause it’s been a while since I last read something suspenseful.
With a strong prologue, this book started real intriguing. A sixteen years old, OCD-cleaning, Emerson May found blotches of red-dark stain on her bedroom window that evening. It’s not helping that she’d just got off the phone with her best friend, Chelsea, who’s panicking over her father that was brought to hospital after badly being attacked in their home. Trying to be calm, she followed another blotch on her bathroom knob and what she saw next stopped her breath completely for a few seconds. Blood was everywhere; on the floor, covering the white tile; on the legs, hands, clothes, covering the boy with tears-streaked eyes. Never in her life had she imagined of having this boy she’d been crushing on for years in her bathroom in this kind of circumstance. But there he was, Deacon Westfield in blood-stained shirt, shaking so badly on her bathroom floor instead of in hospital with his sister waiting on their father. The scene right in front of her could be a very perfect evidence of a crime case but it was the last thing Emmie had in mind when she calmly and without a doubt took a quick action of cleaning the mess Deacon brought along with him. They didn’t have much time when Emmie’s mother came home. No words being said and definitely nothing were explained. But in that short moment only their eyes speak as Emmie sneaked Deacon out to the night. She wanted to believe it was the truth they exchanged but eyes could be telling everything all at once―the truth, the lie, or the thing only she wanted to see.
What happened next was a mess. People accusing Deacon as the one who attacked his own father; even his sister and their family lawyer believed so. Deacon made it difficult for people to see the bright side of him on the case by running away and avoiding meeting his family. It was Emmie who stood by his side and God knows she wasn’t there just because she had a special feeling for him. With an attitude, a bad history with his father in the past weeks, and a record of police, Deacon did make a perfect fit to the questioned culprit. But Emmie had seen him in his worst and it was nowhere near violent. Going against the current, Emmie decided to help Deacon find a justice in his father’s case. Disappointing her own parents might be her biggest fear but leaving Deacon in the trap felt much worse. Emmie might have a fixer trait but this wasn’t only about fixing things for Emmie, this was about fighting for her belief and bringing justice to those who deserve it. What Emmie didn’t know was sometimes looks can be deceiving, especially when you put too much faith on it.
I really enjoyed the story with all the suspense feels. Some people might think that the plot was predictable―well, I had successfully guessed the culprit from the start―but there were parts that I didn’t see coming. I loved how not cliché the story came out in the end; that the characters weren’t always right with their decision; that the heroine didn’t turn into a complete fool for love; that not every issue was resolved right away just because it was the end. But what I loved the most was the lesson relayed through this story: that people who could break us down completely were those who are the closest to us. This is ironically a fact that maybe most of us have seen in our life. That’s because the closest person to us is the one who knows our weakness best. Thus when there’s a will and there’s a chance, they could easily use it against us.
Emmie’s character was so relatable. Her obsession to clean and arrange every mess around her, for one, was something that I could imagine doing every day though mine was not that extreme. What made her stand out than another heroine in most YA was that Emmie wasn’t that kind of girl who’s so head over heels to her crush that she couldn’t see anything beyond him. Emmie was brave, loyal, sometimes comical in mind, and probably the most rational heroine I ever found in a YA. What she did, she did it in her own will. Her heart might be filled with her feelings to Deacon but her mind worked independently. And her issue with her parents, she dealt with it quite maturely for someone her age. She constantly worried that she would let her parents down and she tried real hard not to, but she didn’t entirely agree to them as well. Emmie didn’t want to be a ‘good’ daughter who would say yes to everything her parents wanted her to be but ended up keeping regrets all her life later on. She’s simply amazing and I really didn’t hold a thing against her character.
Even though the romance wasn’t the focus of the story, I was satisfied with how it was built. The fact that Emmie was the one who Deacon chose to run to when he was all shaken up showed that after all he did have a feeling for her too. The romance was beautiful, pure, and somehow mature. Together they made a sweet couple as they completed each other. Deacon had been by her side for a long time, stood for her, believed in her, made her feel not alone when the trouble comes. And now when the table was turned, Emmie made sure to be all of that for him, not because she loved him, but because she knew him. The loyalty, the trust, and the faith that they’d been putting on each other’s hands since they were kids slowly built deeper as they faced more complicated situations and more complex problems together growing up. The scene of their escapade, though short, was powerful because it contained exactly what I wanted to know about how their romance changed them into better persons. It was always calming to read a good romance of a young couple.
The thing that bothered me a lot though was the title. With a title My Secret to Tell, sure the first thing comes to our mind would be ‘whose secret?’. But with the cover like that (a girl standing alone, looking right into the camera) who doesn’t agree when I say the secret was the girl’s? Then I dove into the book and the story was told from the girl’s perspective. See? It must be the girl’s. The fact is… (this might sound like spoiler but trust me, IT’S NOT) Emmie didn’t have any secret to tell. I said it before that it always bothers me when a story doesn’t match with the title, vice versa. And this, right here, was my bothered expression when I realized it --> >:(
All in all, the author wrote the story beautifully. I loved the voice she used to Emmie as the narrator and the words she chose to form such poetic sentences in almost every page I read. Her characterizations were rich and the plot was neat with some unpredictable turn of events throughout the book. People who love suspense read would definitely enjoy this book and those who prefer romance book like me wouldn’t be disappointed as well.
My Secret to Tell is my first book from this author and I don’t hesitate to pick up another title from her for my next read.
*I received digital ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Fire through Netgalley*
This is the first book I picked out from my TBR list after my long hiatus of reading so I kind of expected a lot from it to be a good starter. Good thing that My Secret to Tell wasn’t just live up to my expectation (which was ‘containing sweet romance’) but it also brought out a thrilling vibe within the plot that I welcomed warmly ‘cause it’s been a while since I last read something suspenseful.
‘He’s eye candy for them, but he’s something much more dangerous for me. Something a lot like gravity. Because being around him feels like falling. Every. Single. Time.’
(Chapter I; My Secret to Tell)
With a strong prologue, this book started real intriguing. A sixteen years old, OCD-cleaning, Emerson May found blotches of red-dark stain on her bedroom window that evening. It’s not helping that she’d just got off the phone with her best friend, Chelsea, who’s panicking over her father that was brought to hospital after badly being attacked in their home. Trying to be calm, she followed another blotch on her bathroom knob and what she saw next stopped her breath completely for a few seconds. Blood was everywhere; on the floor, covering the white tile; on the legs, hands, clothes, covering the boy with tears-streaked eyes. Never in her life had she imagined of having this boy she’d been crushing on for years in her bathroom in this kind of circumstance. But there he was, Deacon Westfield in blood-stained shirt, shaking so badly on her bathroom floor instead of in hospital with his sister waiting on their father. The scene right in front of her could be a very perfect evidence of a crime case but it was the last thing Emmie had in mind when she calmly and without a doubt took a quick action of cleaning the mess Deacon brought along with him. They didn’t have much time when Emmie’s mother came home. No words being said and definitely nothing were explained. But in that short moment only their eyes speak as Emmie sneaked Deacon out to the night. She wanted to believe it was the truth they exchanged but eyes could be telling everything all at once―the truth, the lie, or the thing only she wanted to see.
What happened next was a mess. People accusing Deacon as the one who attacked his own father; even his sister and their family lawyer believed so. Deacon made it difficult for people to see the bright side of him on the case by running away and avoiding meeting his family. It was Emmie who stood by his side and God knows she wasn’t there just because she had a special feeling for him. With an attitude, a bad history with his father in the past weeks, and a record of police, Deacon did make a perfect fit to the questioned culprit. But Emmie had seen him in his worst and it was nowhere near violent. Going against the current, Emmie decided to help Deacon find a justice in his father’s case. Disappointing her own parents might be her biggest fear but leaving Deacon in the trap felt much worse. Emmie might have a fixer trait but this wasn’t only about fixing things for Emmie, this was about fighting for her belief and bringing justice to those who deserve it. What Emmie didn’t know was sometimes looks can be deceiving, especially when you put too much faith on it.
‘How many times have I been so determined to see the best in things that I didn’t face the reality right in front of me?’
(Chapter XV; My Secret to Tell)
I really enjoyed the story with all the suspense feels. Some people might think that the plot was predictable―well, I had successfully guessed the culprit from the start―but there were parts that I didn’t see coming. I loved how not cliché the story came out in the end; that the characters weren’t always right with their decision; that the heroine didn’t turn into a complete fool for love; that not every issue was resolved right away just because it was the end. But what I loved the most was the lesson relayed through this story: that people who could break us down completely were those who are the closest to us. This is ironically a fact that maybe most of us have seen in our life. That’s because the closest person to us is the one who knows our weakness best. Thus when there’s a will and there’s a chance, they could easily use it against us.
Emmie’s character was so relatable. Her obsession to clean and arrange every mess around her, for one, was something that I could imagine doing every day though mine was not that extreme. What made her stand out than another heroine in most YA was that Emmie wasn’t that kind of girl who’s so head over heels to her crush that she couldn’t see anything beyond him. Emmie was brave, loyal, sometimes comical in mind, and probably the most rational heroine I ever found in a YA. What she did, she did it in her own will. Her heart might be filled with her feelings to Deacon but her mind worked independently. And her issue with her parents, she dealt with it quite maturely for someone her age. She constantly worried that she would let her parents down and she tried real hard not to, but she didn’t entirely agree to them as well. Emmie didn’t want to be a ‘good’ daughter who would say yes to everything her parents wanted her to be but ended up keeping regrets all her life later on. She’s simply amazing and I really didn’t hold a thing against her character.
Even though the romance wasn’t the focus of the story, I was satisfied with how it was built. The fact that Emmie was the one who Deacon chose to run to when he was all shaken up showed that after all he did have a feeling for her too. The romance was beautiful, pure, and somehow mature. Together they made a sweet couple as they completed each other. Deacon had been by her side for a long time, stood for her, believed in her, made her feel not alone when the trouble comes. And now when the table was turned, Emmie made sure to be all of that for him, not because she loved him, but because she knew him. The loyalty, the trust, and the faith that they’d been putting on each other’s hands since they were kids slowly built deeper as they faced more complicated situations and more complex problems together growing up. The scene of their escapade, though short, was powerful because it contained exactly what I wanted to know about how their romance changed them into better persons. It was always calming to read a good romance of a young couple.
The thing that bothered me a lot though was the title. With a title My Secret to Tell, sure the first thing comes to our mind would be ‘whose secret?’. But with the cover like that (a girl standing alone, looking right into the camera) who doesn’t agree when I say the secret was the girl’s? Then I dove into the book and the story was told from the girl’s perspective. See? It must be the girl’s. The fact is… (this might sound like spoiler but trust me, IT’S NOT) Emmie didn’t have any secret to tell. I said it before that it always bothers me when a story doesn’t match with the title, vice versa. And this, right here, was my bothered expression when I realized it --> >:(
All in all, the author wrote the story beautifully. I loved the voice she used to Emmie as the narrator and the words she chose to form such poetic sentences in almost every page I read. Her characterizations were rich and the plot was neat with some unpredictable turn of events throughout the book. People who love suspense read would definitely enjoy this book and those who prefer romance book like me wouldn’t be disappointed as well.
My Secret to Tell is my first book from this author and I don’t hesitate to pick up another title from her for my next read.
June 1, 2025
3.25
Quick and fun read. Emmy and Deacon were fun to read about and this story as a whole was too. I love how this book gave me Riverdale and Outer Banks vibes specifically Bughead and Sarah and John B. While I'm not gonna lie at some points some of the elements to the mystery didn't really make sense or click in my brain but honestly I just moved on and kept reading.
Quick and fun read. Emmy and Deacon were fun to read about and this story as a whole was too. I love how this book gave me Riverdale and Outer Banks vibes specifically Bughead and Sarah and John B. While I'm not gonna lie at some points some of the elements to the mystery didn't really make sense or click in my brain but honestly I just moved on and kept reading.
March 23, 2022
This is the first book I have read by this author and it is a young adult book. I did not find this book to be very interesting although interesting enough to finish it. Emmie is a good girl and she does everything right except for the fact that she has a bad boyfriend Deacon. When Deacon’s father turns up beaten, the entire town thinks that Deacon is to blame. Emmy never doubts him and together they solve a smuggling operation that takes place in their small town.
February 29, 2020
Not really my kind of book, but lemme tell y’all the climax on page 242 was worth it 👌🏽
December 11, 2015
My Secret To Tell was a book that I enjoyed from start to finish—I’m not really a mystery or thriller genre lover, so for me to really want to finish that genre as soon as I’ve started it? RARE. But that’s just how it was with this particular book and me. My Secret To Tell pulled me in from the prologue and I found myself constantly on my toes, trying to think and think back and keep thinking with the whole Whodunnit vibe that this story gave off!
My Secret To Tell follows the voice of Emerson May, (Emmie/Eddie) and her “journey” in trying to find out who exactly violently assaulted and almost killed her best friend Chelsea Westfield’s father. Things get more complicated when Chelsea’s brother, Deacon, turns up at Emma’s house, completely covered in blood. Everyone in town is convinced that the rebel that Deacon is, he’d find no fault in almost murdering his won father, but Emmie knows better. Emma knows that Deacon almost turns catatonic at the sight of blood so he couldn’t possibly have done it. But of course, she’s had a crush on him forever, so the reader is led to believe that there might a conflict of interest there.
Emmie was a very unreliable narrator, simply because she knew almost nothing about the inner workings of Mr. Westfield’s business, or if people had motive to harm him for whatsoever reason. And because she was clueless, so was I. And it was bloody brilliant because that is precisely how you want to go into a book like this. As a character, Emmie was kind of a hot mess. She had all these unfair expectations of herself, and add to that the fact that she was a brilliant girl already, she made her own life a bit miserable. I liked how she was responsible and caring, but she also was naive and people too heady advantage of that. Nonetheless, Emmie was smart and if there are characters in books that I’m genuinely proud of, Emmie is right up there with them! She took control, she helped her friends, and she dealt with her parents in a way that was much too mature for her age.
Deacon, on the hand, was a guy I was confused about. My feelings toward him were hot and cold, owing to the fact that he was one person I couldn’t figure out up until the end. The guy is swoony in all ways that count, and of course, I’m a sucker for bad guys, but Deacon was just a complete mystery to me. His contribution to the story line, however, is important, and since the book essentially revolves around him and his apparent innocence in a game that is far bigger than he realises, whether you like it or not, you’re going to be seeing a lot of Deacon! And in all honesty, my only issue with him was the mystery allure around him. It was a little hot—a lot hot—and it was new to me, so I’m going to give an overall good response to Deacon! Plus, he’s fast and smart, you guys. No two ways about it. I was hella impressed by his agility :p
The Emmie-Deacon romance I’d have liked to see more of. But if I’m being completely honest to myself, the romance that was present here was completely perfect. Why? My Secret To Tell isn’t about the romance! It’s about the thrills and chills and romance taking a backseat is the way to go. I’m a complete pile of mush when it comes to the romance, but this book was completely chill even without too much of the feels. The little snippets of "Emmie and Deacon time” that we do see are plenty satisfying, because I assure you—you’re going to be so involved and consumed with the action in the book, you’re going to want to skip the slower, touchy feely part completely!
I’ve read Gone Too Far by Nat Richards, and no surprises here, but I loved it ❤ It's plenty awesome to see fall in love with a Mystery book by an author I’ve read for the first time, but two Mysteries? Fucking great! The writing style is slow and almost sensual in the way that it grabs you and doesn’t let you go until you are completely immersed in its universe. I found myself thinking a lot, like I mentioned earlier, about the possible suspects and stuff and in hindsight, I got pretty close to the real thing, but I was also always in doubt, so if you’re one of those people that like to be kept guessing, I’ve found a winner for you!
I WAS PROVIDED A FREE ECOPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE OF AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DID NOT IN ANY WAY, HOWEVER, INFLUENCE THE CONTENT OF THIS REVIEW.
My Secret To Tell follows the voice of Emerson May, (Emmie/Eddie) and her “journey” in trying to find out who exactly violently assaulted and almost killed her best friend Chelsea Westfield’s father. Things get more complicated when Chelsea’s brother, Deacon, turns up at Emma’s house, completely covered in blood. Everyone in town is convinced that the rebel that Deacon is, he’d find no fault in almost murdering his won father, but Emmie knows better. Emma knows that Deacon almost turns catatonic at the sight of blood so he couldn’t possibly have done it. But of course, she’s had a crush on him forever, so the reader is led to believe that there might a conflict of interest there.
Emmie was a very unreliable narrator, simply because she knew almost nothing about the inner workings of Mr. Westfield’s business, or if people had motive to harm him for whatsoever reason. And because she was clueless, so was I. And it was bloody brilliant because that is precisely how you want to go into a book like this. As a character, Emmie was kind of a hot mess. She had all these unfair expectations of herself, and add to that the fact that she was a brilliant girl already, she made her own life a bit miserable. I liked how she was responsible and caring, but she also was naive and people too heady advantage of that. Nonetheless, Emmie was smart and if there are characters in books that I’m genuinely proud of, Emmie is right up there with them! She took control, she helped her friends, and she dealt with her parents in a way that was much too mature for her age.
Deacon, on the hand, was a guy I was confused about. My feelings toward him were hot and cold, owing to the fact that he was one person I couldn’t figure out up until the end. The guy is swoony in all ways that count, and of course, I’m a sucker for bad guys, but Deacon was just a complete mystery to me. His contribution to the story line, however, is important, and since the book essentially revolves around him and his apparent innocence in a game that is far bigger than he realises, whether you like it or not, you’re going to be seeing a lot of Deacon! And in all honesty, my only issue with him was the mystery allure around him. It was a little hot—a lot hot—and it was new to me, so I’m going to give an overall good response to Deacon! Plus, he’s fast and smart, you guys. No two ways about it. I was hella impressed by his agility :p
The Emmie-Deacon romance I’d have liked to see more of. But if I’m being completely honest to myself, the romance that was present here was completely perfect. Why? My Secret To Tell isn’t about the romance! It’s about the thrills and chills and romance taking a backseat is the way to go. I’m a complete pile of mush when it comes to the romance, but this book was completely chill even without too much of the feels. The little snippets of "Emmie and Deacon time” that we do see are plenty satisfying, because I assure you—you’re going to be so involved and consumed with the action in the book, you’re going to want to skip the slower, touchy feely part completely!
I’ve read Gone Too Far by Nat Richards, and no surprises here, but I loved it ❤ It's plenty awesome to see fall in love with a Mystery book by an author I’ve read for the first time, but two Mysteries? Fucking great! The writing style is slow and almost sensual in the way that it grabs you and doesn’t let you go until you are completely immersed in its universe. I found myself thinking a lot, like I mentioned earlier, about the possible suspects and stuff and in hindsight, I got pretty close to the real thing, but I was also always in doubt, so if you’re one of those people that like to be kept guessing, I’ve found a winner for you!
I WAS PROVIDED A FREE ECOPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE OF AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DID NOT IN ANY WAY, HOWEVER, INFLUENCE THE CONTENT OF THIS REVIEW.
October 12, 2025
The story was fine from a YA romance perspective but as a thriller/mystery it was totally weak.
Things I did like - I felt very immersed in the emotions, every time the main character got in trouble I also felt stressed as if I was the one running from the police. It was written well enough to keep my interest long enough to finish.
Things I didn’t like - the mystery of it was so boring and lame I immediately knew who the perpetrator was because they introduced very few characters so the options were limited and it was obvious who the author would use for the “plot twist.” All the clues felt weak and the main character just HAPPENED to find things the police had missed. Like she didn’t even do any real investigating she just stumbled across conveniently left behind coordinates and magically put them together.
Overall it wasn’t terrible it was just bland like rice and chicken seasoned with salt and pepper.
Things I did like - I felt very immersed in the emotions, every time the main character got in trouble I also felt stressed as if I was the one running from the police. It was written well enough to keep my interest long enough to finish.
Things I didn’t like - the mystery of it was so boring and lame I immediately knew who the perpetrator was because they introduced very few characters so the options were limited and it was obvious who the author would use for the “plot twist.” All the clues felt weak and the main character just HAPPENED to find things the police had missed. Like she didn’t even do any real investigating she just stumbled across conveniently left behind coordinates and magically put them together.
Overall it wasn’t terrible it was just bland like rice and chicken seasoned with salt and pepper.
March 3, 2023
2.5 stars. It was VERY slowwwwwwwwww. There was a plot twist towards the end, but it was really predictable and underwhelming. However, the author did pretty well for her debut novel.
May 24, 2015
And Natalie has done it again. Written a book that begs not to be put down, and makes it all the more tempting to put all other responsibilities on the back burner.
The plot was so intricate and well thought out. This is a definitely a book that I would re-read not only because it was amazing, but just to go back and pick up on all the little bits of foreshadowing that I may have missed the first time around. (also, I ate everything up so quickly I may have missed out on a detail or two) All the pieces fit together at the end, and the conclusion was so satisfying because in that explosion of excitement, everything began to make sense.
The characters were all so realistic and unique. I could understand Emmie's though process as she began to get mixed up in things, and her motives were very believable. She had her reasons for doing what she did, and they were all very logical. Same goes for Deacon. I loved that they had multiple sides to their personalities. Cleaning Emmie, Loyal Emmie, Rebellious Emmie and Selfless Emmie. Flirtatious Deacon, Calculating Deacon, and Protective Deacon. I think this was the defining factor that made the characters feel so real, they were more than just one thing.
This book was suspenseful, exhilarating, and it really made me think. Natalie is truly a genius, and I can guarantee that I'll be recommending this to just about anyone that'll listen to me.
The plot was so intricate and well thought out. This is a definitely a book that I would re-read not only because it was amazing, but just to go back and pick up on all the little bits of foreshadowing that I may have missed the first time around. (also, I ate everything up so quickly I may have missed out on a detail or two) All the pieces fit together at the end, and the conclusion was so satisfying because in that explosion of excitement, everything began to make sense.
The characters were all so realistic and unique. I could understand Emmie's though process as she began to get mixed up in things, and her motives were very believable. She had her reasons for doing what she did, and they were all very logical. Same goes for Deacon. I loved that they had multiple sides to their personalities. Cleaning Emmie, Loyal Emmie, Rebellious Emmie and Selfless Emmie. Flirtatious Deacon, Calculating Deacon, and Protective Deacon. I think this was the defining factor that made the characters feel so real, they were more than just one thing.
This book was suspenseful, exhilarating, and it really made me think. Natalie is truly a genius, and I can guarantee that I'll be recommending this to just about anyone that'll listen to me.
December 26, 2024
4.5
I finished this book in 2 days because I was very intrigued.
I thought Joel was suspicious from the beginning but it didn’t cross my mind that he would betray people who were like family to him.
Now that I recall all the events it is so clear why it was Joel.
I thought it was smart of the author not to have any dialogue from Chelsea and Deacon’s father even though the mystery was who attacked him.
The interaction between Deacon and Emmie was really sweet and I was frustrated (just like Deacon) that Emmie was trying to become a lawyer.
I didn’t think her parents were Hugo’s characters especially since they didn’t want Emmie to live up to her potential and I couldn’t wait for the brother’s path to be revealed so she could be her own personal.
As I said I really enjoyed this book it gave me something else to focus on while I am revising for exams!
I finished this book in 2 days because I was very intrigued.
I thought Joel was suspicious from the beginning but it didn’t cross my mind that he would betray people who were like family to him.
Now that I recall all the events it is so clear why it was Joel.
I thought it was smart of the author not to have any dialogue from Chelsea and Deacon’s father even though the mystery was who attacked him.
The interaction between Deacon and Emmie was really sweet and I was frustrated (just like Deacon) that Emmie was trying to become a lawyer.
I didn’t think her parents were Hugo’s characters especially since they didn’t want Emmie to live up to her potential and I couldn’t wait for the brother’s path to be revealed so she could be her own personal.
As I said I really enjoyed this book it gave me something else to focus on while I am revising for exams!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2024
It was a great read. But I somehow suspected joles from the start. That's why 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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