THE SECRET OF YOU AND ME
by
MELISSA LENHARDT
Date of Publication: August 4, 2020
Number of Pages: 352
Scroll down for the giveaway!
Scroll down for the giveaway!
True love never fades—and old secrets never die . . .
Nora hasn’t looked back. Not since she fled Texas to start a new life. Away from her father’s volatile temper and the ever-watchful gaze of her claustrophobically conservative small town, Nora has freed herself. She can live—and love—however she wants. The only problem is that she also left behind the one woman she can’t forget. Now tragedy calls her back home to confront her past—and reconcile her future.
Sophie seems to have everything—a wonderful daughter, a successful husband, and a rewarding career. Yet underneath that perfection lies an explosive secret. She still yearns for Nora—her best friend and first love—despite all the years between them. Keeping her true self hidden hasn’t been easy, but it’s been necessary. So when Sophie finds out that Nora has returned, she hopes Nora’s stay is short. The life she has built depends on it.
But they both find that first love doesn’t fade easily. Memories come to light, passion ignites, and old feelings resurface. As the forces of family and intolerance that once tore them apart begin to reemerge, they realize some things may never change—unless they demand it.
PRAISE FOR THE SECRET OF YOU AND ME:
“A compelling story of second chances and being true to yourself.”
—Harper Bliss, bestselling author of Seasons of Love
Sophie seems to have everything—a wonderful daughter, a successful husband, and a rewarding career. Yet underneath that perfection lies an explosive secret. She still yearns for Nora—her best friend and first love—despite all the years between them. Keeping her true self hidden hasn’t been easy, but it’s been necessary. So when Sophie finds out that Nora has returned, she hopes Nora’s stay is short. The life she has built depends on it.
But they both find that first love doesn’t fade easily. Memories come to light, passion ignites, and old feelings resurface. As the forces of family and intolerance that once tore them apart begin to reemerge, they realize some things may never change—unless they demand it.
“A compelling story of second chances and being true to yourself.”
—Harper Bliss, bestselling author of Seasons of Love
“Lenhardt convinces in her portrayal of the conflict between desire and control.” —Publishers Weekly
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(Personalized/signed copies available through Interabang)
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HALL WAYS BLOG: BONUS REVIEW: AUDIO BOOK REVIEW. I read this one with my ears (which
are still burning a little, to be honest), and Melissa Lenhardt has again shown
her superior talent for writing realistic, fully fleshed-out characters and
immersive dialogue. She nails small-town Texas and the ridiculous, ubiquitous
hypocrisies that abound there regarding gender roles, propriety, and same-sex
relationships.
“I
was tired of lying. But not tired enough yet.”
The Secret of You and Me is
heavy on dialogue, but having two narrators made me feel like I was right
there, a fly on the wall. The two audio book narrators did an outstanding job
of portraying the main characters Nora (appropriately pissy) and Sophie and all
the supporting characters (oh, the syrupy Southern sarcasm), and both narrators
embraced and voiced the often emotional scenes to perfection. Readers will get immersed in the story and
will feel like these are people they know; they will care about them and will
be concerned and angry and run through the full gamut of emotions, right there
with the characters. Again, the mark of excellence in writing.
Many of the characters talk about love, but there's a
whole lot of cheating going on, and it was troubling to me that the cost and
consequences weren't given much consideration. The attitude is probably very
realistic, but troubling nonetheless. And where there were some elements of
romance, I wouldn't call The Secret of You and Me a romance – not in the
traditional sense, anyhow. What readers get more of is lust and pent-up passion
after years of it being denied. I need more convincing that what Nora and
Sophie have is really a deep-seated, real love, especially given they really
don't even know each other any more. (I certainly was not the same person with
the same values at 36 as I was at 18.) But I am left thinking about them long
after the book was finished, and I hope they get their happily ever after.
About those ears burning -- I realized in listening to
this book that I am a lot more comfortable reading profanity than hearing it
(and having anyone else who came in and out of my office hearing it, too).
There is quite a bit in the book, and though all was probably authentic to
characters and situations, I don't love it. Plus some of the scenes get steamy,
and it was embarrassing to have those scenes for all to hear. (I'm old and
maybe more of a prude than I thought!) For the most part, the characters really
frustrate me, and quite honestly, listening to their drama stressed me out.
(Seriously, it's that realistic.) Todd, Sophie's counselor, has it right – it’s
a soap opera. For all those reasons, I really think I would have preferred to
read the book in print because listening was too real.
I recommend the book for those who enjoy second chance
stories with a realistic and non-traditional spin on romance and who embrace
that love is love.
I bought the audio book of The Secret of You and Me on the day it published. No regrets.
Melissa Lenhardt is a women’s fiction, mystery, and historical fiction author. Her debut mystery, Stillwater, was a finalist for the 2014 Whidbey Writers’ MFA Alumni Emerging Writers Contest, and Sawbones, her historical-fiction debut, was hailed as a "thoroughly original, smart and satisfying hybrid, perhaps a new sub-genre: the feminist Western" by Lone Star Literary Life. The New York Times called her sixth novel, Heresy, “An all-out women-driven, queer, transgender, multiracial takeover of the Old West." The Secret of You and Me, her seventh novel and her first contemporary women’s fiction novel, was published on August 4, 2020.
When Melissa isn’t writing, she’s thinking, “I really should be writing,” and eating Nutella or peanut butter straight out of the jar. A lifelong Texan, she lives in the Dallas area with her husband, two sons, and two Golden Retrievers.
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
TWO WINNERS each get a signed hardcover copy of the book and their choice of
either a FaceTime call or virtual book-club visit with the author.
either a FaceTime call or virtual book-club visit with the author.
August 11-21, 2020
(U.S. Only)
CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGE
FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY.
Or, visit the blogs directly:
8/11/20
|
Author Interview
| |
8/11/20
|
Review
| |
8/12/20
|
Review
| |
8/12/20
|
BONUS Post
| |
8/13/20
|
Review
| |
8/14/20
|
Top Six List
| |
8/14/20
|
Review
| |
8/15/20
|
Excerpt
| |
8/16/20
|
Guest Post
| |
8/17/20
|
Review
| |
8/17/20
|
Review
| |
8/18/20
|
Audio Spotlight
| |
8/19/20
|
Review
| |
8/19/20
|
Review
| |
8/20/20
|
Review
| |
8/20/20
|
Review
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