All Our Secrets

by Michelle Gross

“Moments define us. A split-second decision can shape your future, and you don’t realize it until it’s too late.”

Peyton Johnson:

The day I meet my boyfriend’s best friend, King; my king disappears. Everything’s fine when my gaming friend fades away like smoke because Theo consumes me entirely. Theodore Johnson becomes my husband, and our life is beautiful until it isn’t.

Theo’s gone and all that’s left of him is the unborn child in my stomach.


Silas King:
The day I meet my best friend’s girl, my heart recognizes her as my Peyton. I loved her first, but that doesn’t matter. Theo’s the only family I’d ever known and compared to him, I’m ugly and scarred. Peyton’s king disappears because Theo is everything I’m not. He will make her happy. I think that will be enough for me to let go, but it isn’t.
Then he dies, leaving her behind…

Until he comes back and I’m the only one that can see him.


Theodore Johnson:

The day I meet Peyton; my life is complete. I want to give her the world, but life doesn’t always work out that way. Now, I’m fog, slipping through her life without her knowing. Silas is the only one that knows I’m here, but it doesn’t matter. He’s going to steal her away. I can’t let him.

I loved her first, and forever will.

A romantic standalone with a ghostly twist!

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Ebooks, Paranormal Romance

455 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 12, 2022

About the author

A bit of everything romance...
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Reviews

[Michelle Gross]

This book is so many things.
One thing it’s not is One Percent of You.
It’s not sweet and fluffy.
While I have so many characters in my head that are just that, this is not a cute read.
This book is angsty and different. And I loved writing it.
And I hope I find readers who enjoy this messy book.



You got secrets, angsts, guilt, and a ghost.
-a widow
-the late husband’s best friend
-the husband’s ghost
-hidden identity
-grumpy hero
-push/pull

[Karla✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estuvo bueno la verdad, y si me hizo sentir muchas cosas, aunque al final todo pareció precipitado la historia en sí me atrapó.

[Ro {semi-hiatus} · Rating 3 out of 5]

i thought Peyton was a moron ngl. it was very obvious who King was and i'm shocked she didn't blow that man's house down from the second they locked eyes for the first time until mans fucking admitted it. but then there'd be no book. or there'd be a different book and maybe that's the book we deserved.

i never really got on board for the ghost thing ima be honest. the premise was cool but the execution was... bizarre. we didn't really learn anything special apart from the knowledge that King told Theodore he was going to come clean. and there was no grand reveal for why the mf was still around in the first place. if it was meant to be Peyton's longing and grief that brought him back as a spectral, that doesn't really track since she admitted to wanting King even when she couldn't stand him. and if it was King who kept him earthbound, since he was the only one to see him, then why tf was he in Peyton's house? the sense, beloved. make it.

the three POVs made it kinda hard to sympathize with any of the characters. Peyton was pining her entire marriage for a whole other man, Silas was a mf liar for years on end, coveting his best friend's wife. (and also wanting to like, override the dude's memory by wanting to stake a claim even over Peyton's past... that HE is responsible for not being part of) and Theodore willfully deceived and gaslit two people who loved him just so he could have the girl he was lusting after. yes yes, he fell in love with Peyton, but he knew what he did. allowing King to be his fix-it man while rubbing the girl he loved right in his face... the man was scarred up and pining for a girl he met online and you couldn't let him have the W? some friend.

the push and pull on Peyton's end was really frustrating too. even without the glaring evidence that her King and Theodore's King were one and the same, it's pretty obvious that a man who avoided you for five years, only to pull a 180° after your husband is out of the picture, was harboring some feelings.

the prose was also somewhat weird. i can't articulate exactly what was so strange about it but it did make for a quick light read.

though i criticize it, i didn't hate this book. honestly i kind of loved that this tough guy had been so insecure and vulnerable, he made his suffering all the worse by denying himself his truth. he sacrificed his own desires for the sake of someone else's and as soon as he had the opportunity to right that wrong, he did. in a needlessly difficult way yes, but still. i also enjoyed Peyton being made to feel jealous over him before the end. if she was gonna pull a King and not admit her truth, then she deserved to feel a little green about the possibility he'd move on while she was being stubborn. a little tension is good motivation. it was a mostly sweet book. 3 stars for being a decent quick read.

[P · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'm going to sit on your face and send a picture just to make sure she gets what we're trying to tell her"


Oh my!!! after those first couple of chapters that had me screaming for the MMC this book had me hooked what a pleasant surprise..it also had that PNR Aspect it was different for sure but worked out.
it had that ::


Pinning for years
scarred hero
grumpy/sunshine
angsty AF.
Emotional
Suspenseful

[pawsreadrepeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Michelle Gross and Xpresso Book Tours. I'm excited to be a part of this tour. Now for my review ...

This isn’t my usual genre but boy am I glad I read it. This book is interesting, intriguing, and full of suspense. This story covers sensitive topics in a genuine and realistic way paying attention to how the details are delivered.

In All Our Secrets we meet Peyton and Silas aka “King”. The two form a friendship, their bond is strong and eventually they develop feelings for each other. The only problem is they are both harboring secrets that will either bond them more closely or tear them apart. The characters are brilliantly written and the chemistry between adds genuineness to their story. The descriptions are vivid, and I felt like I was walking next to Peyton and Silas as their story unfolded.

Filled with all the feels, I laughed, I cried, I scolded these two, and eventually came to understand them and what they were going through. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a friends to lovers book with the added element of best friend falling for the girl when he’s not supposed to. This book will keep you engaged from start to finish while longing to know what happens next. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Isa✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encantó, tiene todo lo que me gusta, segundas oportunidades, madre soltera, un hombre con cicatrices tanto internas como externas muy gruñón pero que ama con todo su ser y personajes muy humanos con problemas muy reales, esos libros me llegan al corazón ❤️‍🩹
Algo para tener en cuenta es el personaje de Theodore y su parte en la historia, en mi opinión hubiera querido que lo explotaran más, también considero que la forma como cerraron la historia fue muy abrupta. Entiendo su función en la historia y lo representa su personaje en la vida real pero esperaba que fuera más significativo

En conclusión lo considero una buena elección para mi primera lectura del año💜

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book! The feelings throughout the book were so strong. I could understand all sides at times.
The angst was so strong, I almost couldn't take it lol!!

I had to have grabbed this book randomly as I do not remember downloading it to my kindle, but I'm sure glad I did! It's not even the normal type of book I would pick up and read! But I could not stop reading it today!

[Sandra R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this well written book. There's angst, a slow burn romance and a hint of the paranormal - which I was not expecting. 4.5 stars!

[Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book very much, I love the characters of Peyton and Silas, the development of the story, I really appreciate the opportunity to have read this book, keep writing Michelle you do it great ❤

[Jupiter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like myself but not at the same time.
What I didn’t like at all was the lead, Peyton makes me very angry.
I understand that the protagonist, Silas, was wrong and gives me a huge sadness but he "learns" to live with his mistake and weighs heavily but it is because of his personal history.
But she, she didn’t support her, she could leave the other and move on with her life, she couldn’t understand because all that time she felt something for someone else so that she was in a relationship? Why are you hurting yourself like that. How come it doesn’t get in your head because he doesn’t talk to you? Why doesn’t he come to you? Why Well because you’re with your best friend! Common sense please, she’s so dumb not to tell you something stronger.
And another thing if I wanted to meet him why are you dating others? Again I understand that you can not be waiting but if you really love someone and is honest because you wait patiently but here not and I’m sorry but I resent this protagonist.

In the information shared by the writer, she would have preferred her first draft where they are not known at all, she would definitely have been more empathetic with Peyton, she would understand her feelings.
3 stars by Silas, who for me deserved to meet someone else.

📚

Me gusto pero a la vez no.
Lo que no me gusto nada fue la protagonista, Peyton me enoja mucho.
Yo entiendo que él protagonista, Silas, se equivocó y me da una tristeza enorme pero él "aprende" a vivir con su error y le pesa muchísimo pero es debido a su historia personal.
Pero ella, ella no la apoyo, pudo dejar al otro y seguir con su vida, no logró comprender porque sí todo ese tiempo sentía algo por alguien más ¿para que esta en una relación? Porqué te lastimas a ti misma de esa forma. ¿Cómo no te entra en tu cabecita porque él no te habla? ¿porqué no se acerca a ti? ¡Pues porque estas con su mejor amigo! Sentido común por favor, es tan tonta por no decirle algo más fuerte.
Y otra cosa si tenía ganas de conocerlo ¿porqué sales con otros? De nuevo entiendo que no puedes estar a la espera pero si realmente quieres a alguien y es honesto pues esperas pacientemente pero aquí no y lo siento pero me fastidia esta protagonista.

En la información que compartió la escritora, hubiera preferido su primer borrador donde no se conocen para nada, definitivamente hubiera sido mas empatica con Peyton, comprendería su sentir.
2 estrellas por Silas, que para mí merecía conocer a otra persona.

[Amina Cherki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This copy was an arc provided by the author in return of an honest review.
I loved everything i read by Michelle Gross and i was so excited to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately it didn’t hit the right feelings for me like her previous books did. Nothing was really wrong with it i just didn’t click with the characters.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

Empezó bien, pero el tira y afloja entre Peyton y Silas se volvió tedioso.

[Alzbeta · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading the prologue I thought I would like it. But their inner thoughts were overly dramatic. I didn’t like Peyton much, and the ghost was completely unnecessary.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow so this is definitely going to be in my top five reads of the year. I had downloaded this from KU pretty much when it was released but never got around to reading it until I got into my annual summer reading slump and figured I’d loved One Percent of You so much that this might get me out of my slump. And boyyyy did it do the trick. I was hooked really quickly and seriously couldn’t put it down. I usually avoided forbidden romances thinking they wouldn’t be my thing but I loved the drama this one brought.

One thing I definitely wasn’t expecting going into this contemporary romance was a paranormal plotline lol!! I was absolutely shocked when I realized Theo was 1.) a literal ghost and 2.) getting his own pov 😂 but it seriously added so much to the story in my opinion. I really looked forward to Theo’s pov chapters (which is a rarity in my romances that have multiple povs. Normally I just want my mmc and fmc povs and don’t care about other people, even in romantic suspense and fantasy romance lol). The scenes where Silas and Peyton were talking at her house and Theo was also talking to Silas had my peanut brain reading slower trying to determine who was hearing what lol but what funny scenes.

Although I do feel like we had a bit of a back and forth and back and forth and back and forth will they won’t they that mayyybe could have been cut down a little more so the book was a little shorter, I really can’t complain too much bc I ate it up. It was the soulmatey-ness of it all 😭 Silas was so sure of what he wanted and refused to accept a life where he wouldn’t be with Peyton anymore. I’m a sucker for an mmc like that. Peyton was a great character and I always love a single mom trope.

And can I just say….I cried like a baby during Theo’s last chapter (49 I think?). Like to the point where my chest and throat were physically hurting. Especially in my line of work, I like to think I’ve come to terms with mortality…but then every once and a while something like the last few pages of that chapter just hit me like a freight train. I literally highlighted and screenshotted a couple of the most hard hitting paragraphs because I just know I’m going to want to go back and cry to them sometimes when I’m in my feelings.
When he said “‘Did you cry for me like that?’ I wondered as Peyton cried King’s name. A smile touched my lips as the first tear came. ‘If so, that’s enough.’
But it’s not.”

Or how about “A warm, tingling sensation blanketed me from behind. The first touch of life I’d had since dying. I didn’t dare look back. Not yet. I sensed the calmness of it, knew it was here for me, but—“ and then made one last attempt to speak to Peyton. Absolutely sickeningly devastating.

“With the heavy presence growing stronger behind me, I turned and stilled. The light was… welcoming. I couldn’t resist looking back at Peyton, though…I was dead, but I’d live through them. Whether those thoughts were good or bad wasn’t for me to decide…
I froze when Peyton looked up. I swore our eyes met, because she went utterly still. She covered her mouth, then she blinked before searching the area around us. Like she’d seen a ghost.
Finally. Maybe she’d seen me one last time after all. I smiled, shook my head, and stepped toward the light.”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME. I’m tearing up just reading them back to put in this review. Out of the 147 books I’ve read so far this year I think only this one and Yours Truly have made me cry 🥹

[Daisy Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews posted at Tales of Love, Life, and Murder

This story is one wild ride. Peyton and King are the best of friends but they’ve never met in person because of his insecurities. It takes years but the very day he finally scrounges up the courage to agree to meet face-to-face, he meets his best friend’s new girl and it’s Peyton. She recognizes him immediately but his immediate reaction is to deny it and insist her on-line King is someone else. Life went on, with Peyton eventually marrying Theodore, King avoiding Peyton as much as possible and growing to resent his best friend and Peyton always wondering what happened to her King. Then Theodore dies and this is where the story starts.

It's difficult to describe without being a spoiler but this is equal parts enemies to lovers and friends to lovers. There’s a love triangle and a ghost but it’s her memories of him, her loyalty and her guilt, not his continuing presence which bind her to Theodore and make her confusing feelings about King all the more difficult.

This was a fun read but not at all light-hearted. It’s full of angst and pain, with a hint of suspense and a good dose of the supernatural. I loved everything about it and though this is my first book by the author, it won’t be the last.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what an emotional and heart wrenching story. The characters in this book go through so much turmoil and have some major emotional baggage to deal with.

It all started with a video gamer named MoodyKing1.

Silas King has finally got the nerve to meet his gamer friend face to face. But when his best friend shows up with her ... his Peyton, he denies what she knows is true. He is MoodyKing1. This moment in time changes everything and sets in motion a turn of events that is sure to make them all suffer dearly.

This book really digs deep into the guilt of loving someone you cannot have, yet have to watch them fall in love with someone else. It has a lot of guilt and missed chances. It touches of the struggles of being a single mother and issues that mothers experience when bonding with their newborns. It shows how grief can put a lot of pressure on a person and the guilt they can carry around because of it.

Overall this book is a really realistic story. It touches on very sensitive subjects that some may experience in their lives today. The struggles that grief can bring to a person. Also how sometimes allowing someone we care about to move forward without you and how it can bring a person to their knees. It has depth and complex characters. Be prepared for the hard truths and go into this with an open mind.

[Cathy Brockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peyton fell for her gaming friend Moodyking1 while they played PlayStation games and chatted. Then she moved to Fenton where Ironically Her King lived too. But she met Theodore and started dating. When he went to introduce her to his best friend who coincidentally was King she had a feeling but Silas kept pushing her away.
Then things change drastically when her husband dies and she’s just weeks pregnant.

Silas has always loved Peyton and knew she was his Peybunny but with his scars he could never be what Peyton wanted especially compared to his best friend Theodore. When Theo dies he steps up to make sure Peyton is safe but he never thought the biggest threat would be the ghost of her dead husband.

When both their secrets surface will it bring them together or tear them apart?

Oh man this book was good. The character’s interesting and who would ever imagine a ghost!
The story is great with several plots and deals with a few sensitive emotional issues.
To sum it up… page turner, riveting, and just all over a great story.
If you like grumpy/ sunshine, emotional stories, a little hot sex and ghosts you will love this!

[Melissa Orellana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This book was a lot to say the least. Writing this review is honestly complicated because this book was unlike anything I have ever read so putting my thoughts into words is hard.

This is a forbidden, late husband’s best friend romance with a twist… the late husband is actually a ghost and only the best friend can see him.

This book was incredibly realistic in terms of grief, guilt about moving forward, struggles especially with being a single mom and so much more. It’s a very different read for me and it’s one of those books that leaves you thinking especially if you have any regrets.

I couldn’t put this book down and I think it’s because of how interesting and captivating it is. It hits you in the heart especially when you think about how your decisions can affect your future even if you may think they don’t.

I think everyone is going to have different opinions about this book because of how different it is. I recommend reading it and finding out what you think of it yourself.

Thank you Michelle for the ARC!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a deeply emotional read, not for the faint of heart. There are moments of dark sadness, of fear and doubt, of love, of guilt, of despair. The author did an amazing job of making those moments very real, allowing the reader to become fully immersed in the story.

There are things in life that just aren’t black and white, no matter how much we want them to be. And this book highlights the reality that feelings are often complicated and tangled. The characters of Peyton, Theo, and Silas are flawed, certainly. But that’s what makes them real. They’ve made choices, for better or worse, for reasons that might not be entirely noble at times. And they’ve all paid the price for those choices. But in the end, it’s about how you live your life going forward, what you do going forward. That is the thrust of the story, and the reader gets to follow that journey in happiness, in sadness, in bittersweet joy.

There are moments when it could be easy to judge the characters for the choices they’ve made, but the author has drawn you into the story so much that you feel as if you understand the characters, understand their motivations. And that’s when it becomes obvious that some decisions just aren’t that perfect and easy to make.

Intense? Yes. Sad? Yes, at times. Was it worth it? Absolutely!

[Bharti · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Moments define us. A split-second decision can shape your future, and you don’t realize it until it’s too late.”


If you love someone just tell them don't loose your chance cause your scared of rejection.
Regret of not saying anything is much more painful than rejection.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster it's not your sweet and cute kinda type book it's angsty and painful.

Silas is a hot grumpy guy who's always there to help you but he has his own reasons to be around but those are so painful.

Peyton is a sweet and self independent kinda girl so when Silas always appears to help her it irritates her to no end but she has her own secrets. And these are gonna hurt everyone.

This book has a unique setting and plot is soo good and so well written.

You'll get:
Sweet yet grumpy guy
Husband's ghost 👻
Push / pull
Widow
Forbidden relationship
Lots and lots of secrets


⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A uniquely amazing romance!

All Our Secrets was quite unexpected. I really did enjoy this story. Silas let his heart & happiness go due to his own insecurities, after his best friend met his online gamer girl first. The story unfolds from there.

It’s a paranormal/ best friend’s ex/ second chance romance of sorts. Peyton had her heart set on meeting her King after moving to a new town. While he was gaining his courage to meet in person, she meets a new guy. Once Silas sees his best friend’s new gal he couldn’t risk any of their feelings.

Fast forward some years later. Peyton has to learn a new way life, all while leaning on her husband’s grumpy best friend for help. Fate has a wild way of life. I was hooked from the first page! Read it all in one sitting. Read this book now, you are going to love it! Five stars for sure!

[shreya ʚ☆ɞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love when authors always write new stories other than the same old cookie cutter ones. This one was so interesting and filled with tropes/situations that I usually don't prefer to read about but I knew I had to give this one a try because it's my fav author.
I really like the plot and the story was definitely interesting. I do think I struggled a bit with how fast think went between SILAS AND PEYTON but seeing SILAS pine for her for so long was so damn sweet and him protecting and caring for her and Junior was so swoony. Michelle never fails to make you feel emotions through her writing and this one was no different. HER HEROS ARE ALWAYS TOP-TIER.
3.75 STARS

[Carla Croll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow!!

This book was amazing. Sometimes, I laughed, sometimes I cried, and at times, I wanted to smack each character for different reasons. All three characters were flawed, but they way the plot played out let you see how the flaws made they unique. At first, I kinda felt sorry for Theo, but I knew all alone that she was meant to be Silas's. Overall, this was a great read that had me turning page after page to see what happened next. If you are up for some angst and something different, this book is for you, and the HEA was just what it should be.

[Marbea Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok it's been a long time since a gave a book five stars! I've held back recently because there's been blah writing lately. But you have made me Gaaaag!! The tea was spilled, and it was hot and thrilling! The plot was suspenseful and dramatic with just the amount of angst in the right scenes. I was deep in the tea bags dipping in out of the characters emotions. The side characters were the ones boosting up all the drama and mess keeping the main characters thriving and interactive. This was truly a world wind of beyond the realm expectations.

[W · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

I loved the first half of the book and the epilogue. but the repetitiveness made it drag on. Peyton was so willfully in denial about who Silas was that it was beyond frustrating. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and even has the name duck…And the woman would win an olympic medal if there was an event for running away crying.

[Kaitlyn Etchison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I’ve read of Michelle’s & I was drawn in at chapter 1- just as I was with One Perfect of You & Fall from Grace! She has such realistic love stories with the perfect twist of intimacy clashed together. All Our Secrets made me have all the emotions & I couldn’t put it down!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried. Honestly I was rooting for Theo at the end I was crying hoping he would get a happy ending. I know he was wrong in the things he did but it just made me feel sad. King and Peyton romance was beautiful couldn’t tell who was going to make the first move. Definitely recommend.

JUSTICE FOR THEO 😭

[Itzamary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amo

Acabo de releerlo y necesitaba actualizar mi review. Este libro es tan diferente a lo que acostumbro a leer pero me encanta Amo como es Silas King amo la historia entre el y Peyton es una historia que toca fuerte por los temas que habla. La parte paranormal es un bonus pero es una lectura muy muy buena. Lo recomiendo

[lesli (leslovesbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

rtc soon
*arc*

[running20m · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved King...