Secrets in Paradise

The Archer Inn #2

by Kimberly Thomas

A grieving widow. Her husband’s explosive secret. A last-minute wedding with a shocking guest.

Rina Archer is the second-eldest sister in the Archer clan. Like Holly, Amy, and Randy, she was born and raised in Islamorada, an island in the Florida Keys, but abandoned the island the second she could, age eighteen and ready for a bigger and better life.

Everything was perfect. Until it wasn’t.

Six months ago, Rina’s husband, Dennis, died of a massive heart attack. She and her children are grieving. Her older sister, Holly, continues to call from Islamorada about repairing the Archer House, the Inn where they all grew up, along with a surprise birthday party for their mother’s seventieth—but Rina is resentful toward her family that is no longer in her life and refuses to go.

That is, until a woman appears in her life with news that rocks her world forever.

Now, Rina runs toward Islamorada, as a means to escape the secrets that swirl back home—revolving around her husband and another life he might have had that had nothing at all to do with Rina and the boys. As she dives into the once-familiar beauty of the island, she reconnects with old friends, with her sister Holly and her endearing brother, Randy. She finds a level of peace she didn’t expect and shoves her secrets down deep.

Soon, through a series of strange circumstances—and a wedding she’s decided to help coordinate after the last-minute drop-out of the event planner—she finds herself face-to-face with the ever-handsome, high-school-sweetheart turned chef, Steven.

But no matter how fast she runs, secrets have a way of catching up to her.

That could be said for everyone in the Archer clan. It’s safe to say their time is running out.

198 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2020

About the author

Kimberly Thomas has a passion for writing heartfelt stories that resonate with her readers. With two adult children and a loving husband, she understands the complexities of family dynamics and uses this knowledge to create relatable characters. When she's not writing, she loves to travel and explore new cultures. She finds inspiration in the people she meets and the places she visits, and often incorporates her experiences into her stories.

Kimberly specializes in feel-good women's fiction, clean and wholesome contemporary romance. Her stories focus on love, loss, and the everyday situations that families face. Her writing style is engaging and relatable, and she has a talent for drawing readers in and keeping them hooked until the very end.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rina is struggling with her life. Her beloved husband who was her best friend died from a massive heart attack six months earlier and she still grieves him to the point that she is unable to go back to her job as an event planner. Other than her two sons, she doesn't have family to help her. She left home at 18 and is estranged from her brothers and sisters and is upset when her sister Holly starts calling about a surprise birthday party for their mother. She has no plans to go home but when she meets a woman in a bar who has a shocking confession that can change her life, she realizes that she needs to get away and decides to go home. Once she gets home, she begins to realize that it isn't the awful place she remembered. As she connects with her brother and sister and begins to spend time with old friends, she begins to rediscover the beauty of the town she grew up in. She begins to forget about the shocking news that the woman told her but suddenly finds that there are situations in life that you can't run away from.

I enjoyed the second book in the series as much as the first and can't wait to read the third and final book which is Amy's story. I hope that this book about love and family leads to a total family reunion.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in The Archer series and I think I like it better than the first one. It’s about family and going on after loosing someone. I really enjoyed the book and couldn’t put it down. Definitely recommend!
Looking forward to the next one in the series
Thanks to the author for the early copy

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for honest review with no compensation 4.5 stars

Secrets in Paradise is book 2 in the Archer Inn series by Kimberly Thomas and following the Archer siblings reconnecting after years of being estranged.

Up next is Rina Archer Renner has lost her husband Dennis to a massive heart attack 6 months ago and learning to deal with life after losing a spouse, watching her youngest son get ready to head to college and her oldest son navigate college and a loving relationship. When she gets some totally unexpected news she heads back to Islamorada, her childhood home to regroup and possible restore her relationships with her siblings...

Secrets, family dynamics, repairing relationships, second chances and so much more...can’t wait for the next book...When the Star Align!

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is hard to put down once you start reading. You're captivated from the start and can't stop turning the pages. The characters are engaging, intriguing and well developed. The story line is well written and holds your attention from the front cover to the back cover. It has family drama, betrayal and secrets that make it hard to stop reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rina Archer Renner is the second oldest
of the Archer family. She will return to
Islamorada Island located in the Florida
Keys for her mother’s seventieth birthday
party. Actually that is her excuse to run
away from her present situation.
Rina’s husband died six months ago. She
is still grieving. To top it off a woman
claims to have had an affair with Rina’s
husband which resulted in a baby girl who
is now own sons age group. The woman
wants Rina to. share the inheritance with
the daughter.
But Rina will discover that problems can
not go away by running.
I was pulled right into the story with the
descriptive style of writing. I felt like I was
right there with the characters plus taking
part in the action.
I could smell the ocean and feel the sand
between my toes at the beach wedding.
Come along to Islamorada with Rina to
see how she handles herself with all her
problems.
I really enjoyed watching the family grow.
I volunteered to read Secrets in Paradise.
Thanks to the author for the opportunity.
My opinion is voluntary and my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another knock it out of the park for Kimberly! This is book 2 in the series and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Her characters are so vibrant and I truly enjoy how much time she spends on each of their stories.

This is an amazing book on love, forgiveness and family! Huge thanks to the author for an advanced copy!!

[Denise S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Book Two in a series which started with The Archer House and spotlights the next sister in line, Rina. Rina has a lot going on with being a recent widow and a thriving business. She goes home to Islamorada for her mother’s surprise birthday party and much more intrigue and people come into her life for better or worse. I understand the next book in the series will cover the youngest sister, Amy’s life. I wonder if the author will continue after that with a story on the brother, Randy, as he seems to have some secrets himself. Perfect series for lying on the beach or by the pool.

[Penny Leidecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is the second book in The Archer Inn series and it centers around Rina. Her husband, Dennis died from a heart attack and she learns things weren’t as perfect with her marriage, as she thought. She never thought she’d return to Islamorada, but when her husband’s ex-mistress starts stalking her, away she goes. I won’t leave any spoilers because I hope everyone reads this new series and falls in the love with the Archer clan like I have. Do yourself a favor and see if a second chance is in Rina’s future and if the mystery of the missing money is solved. I can’t wait to read the next book in this amazing series.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Moira · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in the Archer Inn series was as good as the first one. I couldn't put it down.

Rina has been reeling sonce her husband's death 6 months ago. After dinner out with her son's, she heads to a local bar for a drink before returning home to an empty house. She meets a woman and it changes her life.

With her life already in an upheaval, she decides on a whim to return to the Keys and the Inn where she grew up to celebrate her mother's upcoming 70th birthday. There's nothing quite like family and the Archer's rally around Rina when life as she knows it implodes.

The only fault I have with the story is the nefarious activity at the Inn's dock and the feeling it's linked to financial difficulties at the Inn. Why haven't Holly and Rina talked to Randy about Dean and the other co-workers activity at the dock? I'm not a fan of how Randy is being portrayed and hope all is resolved in book 3.

[Julie Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Could not put the book down. What started as a family mourning the loss of a loved one became a roller coaster of revealed secrets. A great story of love, loss, and forgiveness. There are also a few lingering questions I hope to get the answer to in the next book.

Rina has a habit of running, from her family at 18 and now after the loss of her husband. We are with her as she struggles to get back to herself. After returning to her family home in Islamorada, a place she thought she would never return, Rina gains second chances to live out her life. Family and friends help her to see the future with new eyes. Along the way, Rina figures out that she quit on them, not they quit on her.

Thank you to Booksprout and the Author for the free copy for my voluntary review.

[Cathylynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rina is grieving her husbands sudden death. Her sister wants her to come home for a birthday celebration, but she does not want to go home. Then she meets a woman who tells her a story of betrayal. So she does decide to go home after all. Then she takes over the planning for a wedding when the wedding planner quits. That is when she comes face to face with Steven who is a chef and knows Rina from when she lived there. Secrets have a way of following you. I liked this book it was interesting and the characters were interesting and interacted well. Some parts made you scratch your head but overall a good entertaining story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rina had been pretty much estranged from her family since she left the island where she had grown up as soon as she turned 18. But now, her husband had died from a heart attack six months earlier, and a secret has emerged about what she had thought was her perfectly happy husband. She decides to go back to the island for her mothe's birthday celebration to escape thepain - but will she be able to get away from the truth? Will meeting Steve again help heal the scars? A lovely romance with enough intrigue to make it interesting - a fun read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pam Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two of the Archer Inn series. Widow Rina is
Struggling to adjust to her new life as a widow after the death of husband Dennis. As her children head off to college what meaning will her life have? She decides to head home to her childhood home of Islamorado to surprise her mother for her 70th birthday. As secrets are revealed Rina realizes her marriage wasn’t what it seems.

Returning to her childhood home makes it necessary for her to reconnect with the brother and sister she hasn’t see. In years. Will she be able to mend fences and adjust to life as a widow. Can sibling love allow Rina to rebuild her life?


Thank you to the author for an ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

[Patricia Grogan Bugher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in The Archer Inn series by Kimberly Thomas. The first was about the eldest Archer sister, Holly, and this is about second eldest, Rina. Rina’s husband of twenty four years passed away six months ago and Rina is having a hard time dealing with it. Then a woman appears, out of the blue, claiming to have a daughter fathered by Rina’s late husband seventeen years ago. Rina goes to Islamorada Island to the family home she left thirty years ago to try to make some sense of this. Very good story. Looking forward to the third installment.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Archer Inn series a well written story that kept me turning pages. This is Rina Archer's story as she finds out things about her deceased husband and what he was really like. I enjoyed reading this family oriented story and seeing what they are going/have gone through to get to this point in time. I want to read the next book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery continues

Im so enjoying this series. Kimberly Thomas knows what reads like and she writes beautifully. This family has let their pun life take over and drift apart from their childhood life. This book will have you turning page after page as the characters rediscover there past and realize how much they've missed who they once were. I can't wait to read the next book and find out about the mystery of the missing money. As always happy reading.

[Kathleen A · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Secrets in Paradise, once again, Kimberly Thomas grabs your interest on the first few pages and provides so many turns and twists that it is hard to put down. It is Book 2 in The Archer Series, which introduced and traces the Archer Family’s tribulations, past and present, through several generations. A great read!

[alice sorrells · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. But

Let's just say it was a good story kept you interested most of the time. A little too much description of some things that slowed the story, But my biggest problem was the taking of God's name in vain throughout the story! It did not add anything! I will not read another book because of that!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series. It keeps me turning the pages and I love the characters. They have their issues but aren’t overly dramatic. Hope to see some HEAs in the future. Looking forward to Amy’s story. I received this arc for an honest review.

[Marie Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing the story of the Archer Family, this book was all about Rina, a recently widowed sister, coming home to face her family. A family she thought she was better off without. Reconnecting with 2 of her siblings & aging mother, running into all the friends and the ”Young Lover” she left behind at 18. And finding out her deceased husband wasn't who she thought he had been.

Another great segment of the Archer family! I was almost angry the story ended! I want to know more! Can't wait for book 3!!!

[Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and was honored to have been able to read and review. It was such a phenomenal read and had amazing characters as well as an amazing story line. I just could not get enough of it and once I started reading it I could not put it down. I recommend that you read it.

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself throughly engaged in the book. The characters are engaging and well developed with plenty of chemistry throughout the pages.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Misty Goan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful heartwarming standalone well written addition to the Archer family series. This engaging read is about forgiving, second chance, family reconnection, loss, grief, live, and secrets. The characters are well developed and interesting.  I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC. 

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

They may be family but there are plenty of secrets between them. What are those secrets? Will they ruin their lives? How will they cope with those secrets? See what those secrets are

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lynne Macdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a second sister of the Archer clan.
Rina is a Event Planner.
Rina has secrets and goes back home to the Archer Inn.
I do not want to spoil it but this is a very good book.
I recommend it for a book to read on a free afternoon while drinking tea or your favorite wine or drink.

[Stacie Marquart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading this book, it was a bit of a tearjerker at the beginning. I had a hard time putting it down. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

[Rilla Schulte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely series. Looking forward to the next one.

[thelma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret is love

Five stars funny and sad how people can change after growing up and look into their hearts and find love

[Donna Kale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoy these stories

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time reader of this author and I loved this book. Rina lost her husband six months ago now that she's trying to move on a secret about her dead husband as her running home where she hasn't been in years, Steve used to be with Rina when they were younger but he messed up. Now can years later be their second chance?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.