This is a story filled with secrets. A family living. . . tiptoeing around each other and finding themselves weighed down by their hidden things.
The story is told by alternating between the voice of Desi (the mom) and Jules (the daughter). Desi isn’t an incredibly likable character, and yet I was very interested in her perspective. I really enjoyed Jules as a character. I wanted everything to work out for her, and I found myself connecting with her easily.
There is so much tension in this narrative. Desi has just built the house of her dreams in a remote location, giving the family space to breathe. Unfortunately, there is a stressed marriage weighing down on them, and it doesn’t feel like there’s any air. The author did a great job of bringing this tension to life through the story!
This was a slow-burn that had me trying to figure out what exactly was happening. The start was a bit slow as I tried to understand what exactly this story was about, but about halfway through, it sped up, and everything started coming together.
I would recommend this one for readers that enjoy getting to know characters in a story that peels back the story layers slowing, letting you savor every moment!
Where to Find This Book:
A thrilling domestic drama set against the power of the wilderness, Secrets of Our House is a deeply-felt novel of long-held secrets and the strength of family.
Desi is the mastermind behind her dream getaway house. Nestled high into the mountains of North Carolina, it is a sleek place, a luxurious place, a dark place.
A place full of secrets.
Secrets about the man she longs for, a man who is not her husband. Secrets about the roots of her family that must never, ever, see the light of day. When Desi and her family arrive from Chicago to spend the summer in the mountains, the seeds for the tumultuous months to follow are planted–her marriage on the rocks, not knowing which way they’ll go. Her seventeen year-old daughter Jules, falling in love for the first time with a local boy–and forging a new path that will take her to uncharted places. And Carter–a man Desi knew long ago, before she expunged him from her life for good.
All hurtling toward events none of them can undo.
Engaging, propulsive, and with a dramatic, heart-pounding final act, Secrets of Our House is a dazzling novel, richly-drawn, that shows no matter how hard outside forces may shake you, the bonds of family are stronger than the harshest winds.
Just the Facts:
Secrets of Our House by Rea Frey
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: St. Martin’s
Pub Date: February 8, 2022
Rea Frey is the author of Not Her Daughter, Because You’re Mine, and her upcoming release, Until I Find You.
She is also the founder of Writeway, where aspiring authors become published authors.
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I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.
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