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Writer's pictureJudith D Collins

Those Secrets We Keep


ISBN: 9780451471871

Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL

Publication Date: 6/2/2015

Format: Paperback

My Rating: 4 Stars

From the author of You Knew Me When and When We Fall. Three women. Three lives. Three secrets.

On the surface, Sloane has the perfect life—an adoring husband, a precocious daughter, and enough financial security to be a stay-at-home mom. Still, she can’t help but feel as though something—or someone—is missing....

Hillary has a successful career and a solid marriage. The only problem is her inability to conceive. And there’s a very specific reason why....

As the wild-child daughter of old family money, Georgina has never had to accept responsibility for anything. So when she realizes an unexpected life change could tie her down forever, she does exactly what she’s always done: escape.

When these three women unite for a three-week-long summer vacation in beautiful Lake George, New York, even with the idyllic location as their backdrop, the tensions begin to mount. And they quickly discover that no secret can be kept forever....

About the Author

Emily Liebert was born and raised in New York City, attended the Horace Mann School and Smith College, where she graduated with a B.A. in English Language & Literature.

After college, Emily landed her first job as an Executive Assistant at ABC News, where she honed her organizational skills and helped produce television specials for Peter Jennings Reporting. To this day, she is a whiz with “To Do” lists.

Since childhood, Emily’s had a passion for writing, so when the opportunity to become Editor-in-Chief of The WAG—a luxury lifestyle magazine covering Westchester and Fairfield Counties—presented itself, she jumped at the chance. During Emily’s five-year tenure, she wrote hundreds of articles, including celebrity profiles, travel, fashion, and beauty.

Ready for her next adventure, Emily became a full-time freelance writer, penning lifestyle pieces for media outlets such as, The Huffington Post, Oprah.com, Elite Traveler, Robb Report, Gotham, and Cottages & Gardens.

In 2009, Emily edited Kerry Kennedy’s New York Times bestseller Being Catholic Now: Prominent Americans Talk About Change in the Church and the Quest for Meaning. The following year, Emily published her first book, Facebook Fairytales, which was featured at the 2010 Frankfurt Book Fair, and Emily was one of 20 guests of honor—among Elizabeth Kostova, Russell Banks, and Lisa See—at the renowned Literary Feast 2010, a privilege reserved for best-selling and buzz-worthy authors.

Shortly thereafter, Emily was hired by Microsoft as the spokesperson for Bing’s partnership with Facebook and appeared in 30+ television and radio spots for the brand, which garnered exceptional ratings.

In 2012, Emily wrote her debut novel, You Knew Me When (Penguin), which published on September 3, 2013. Her second novel, When We Fall, published on September 2, 2014. Those Secrets We Keep, her third novel, will be released on June 2, 2015, and she’s currently hard at work on her fourth novel, Some Women (April 5, 2016), all with Penguin Random House.

When Emily’s not writing, she teaches Pure Barre classes and enjoys traveling, cooking, and cozying up with a good book. She’s been known to ride on a Harley Davidson. And she does a mean Running Man on the dance floor. Emily lives with her husband, Lewis, and their two delicious little boys, Jax and Hugo, in Westport, CT where she moved kicking and screaming for fear that there would be no Chinese food delivery at three in the morning. She was right. Website Twitter

My Review

Emily Liebert returns after You Knew Me When and When We Fall, with a contemporary chick-lit THOSE SECRETS WE KEEP, exploring the complexities of three different women; their friendships, dirty little secrets and scandals--for a sizzling summer beach read. Meet the three women: Sloane is the main character, and the central focus of the three women. A stay-at-home mom, married with a perfect life (on the outside); with husband, daughter, and financial security. However, after losing her sister Amy to cancer she is depressed. As mid-life crisis approaches, she decides a laid back gals’ weekend may be just what she needs. Her aunt’s house on Lake George will be a perfect setting for the weekend with her friend Hilary. Hilary has a good life, career and personal family life, except no baby, as she has been unable to conceive. She also has a secrets. To add more drama into the mix, Sloane has a friend from her past, from college. A trip planned for only Hilary and Sloane. However, Sloane steps in (hate it when that happens) and invites herself. So now three, which makes it a little awkward. Sloane is in the middle of a new friend and old friend. (This is asking for trouble). Hilary of course does not have the history as the two old friends. Sloane and Georgina have a shared past. Georgina is irresponsible, a wild child from old family money, and always escapes when the pressure of life comes her way. Georgina is everything Sloane is not. Sloane is responsible, kind, and has a stable life; whereas, Georgina is impulsive and irresponsible. As always, with this difference, life is always greener on the other side. Making for some complex human dynamics, they were not all three friends before going to the lake. As we all are aware, we are not the same person as we were back in college and our new friends may not share in the history. With three distinct personalities, there is always the odd (woman) out. As the three women unite for a three week long summer vacation in the New York Adirondacks with a beautiful setting--can they keep their secrets of the heart? What is behind their façade, and the perfect face many women put on, when fearing if their friends know the real person with the issues, they may not like them. Not only are they keeping secrets from their friends, but also with their respective families. There always has to be an ex-lover involved to crank up the intensity and sizzle. There are many more complications when you get three women together, versus two, with taking sides. With hidden agendas, strong personalities, and tensions, a story of the power of female friendships, and the road to healing. Fans of Emily Giffin, Sarah Pekkanen, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinnke will be drawn to the issues of modern women, their fears, insecurities and dreams. Young to middle age women, single, married and mothers will relate. I discovered Emily years ago, and highly recommend Those Secrets We Keep and her previous books, if you have not had an opportunity to read. She has used two women in her previous books, and does a nice job of adding in another layer with a third strong personality. Nice Character development! “You can’t expect people to change their colors and act the way you want them to act when you’ve accepted them for who they are for this long.” Looking forward to Emily's fifth book, Some Women, set to release on April 5, 2016. When We Fall 9/2/2014 You Knew Me When 9/3/2013

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