Book Review: The Secret of You and Me

 

THE SECRET OF YOU AND ME

by

MELISSA LENHARDT

• Genre: Women's Fiction / Romance  
• Publisher:  Graydon House (Harlequin) 
• Date of Publication: August 4, 2020 
• Number of Pages: 352  

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

“Lenhardt convinces in her portrayal of the conflict between desire and control.” —Publishers Weekly

CLICK TO PURCHASE

Interabang Books

(Personalized/signed copies available through Interabang)

Amazon || IndieBound || Bookshop

A portion of royalties are going to the It Gets Better Project.  (Click for more details.)

 

I am starting this review off in a very positive note. This was probably one of my most favorite fiction books of 2020 so far. It was definitely a breath of fresh air from what I have been reading this year and I really enjoyed it the whole time.

The way the author created her characters was so well done. There are some characters that you grow to love in this 340 page novel, including our main characters Nora and Sophie. Then there are characters that you grow to completely disgust, such as Charlie and Brenda. All characters were relatable and everyone I could pinpoint someone that I know or knew, in real life, who was like each character or at least had similarities. All characters made you feel something, and that shows powerful writing.

I loved the story line and feel that it is very relevant in today's society. From just reading the synopsis, you'll come to find this is a story about Lesbian lovers that have sort of a Romeo and Juliet tone going on. They are not only Lesbians, but they are Lesbians in a small town in the middle of now where Texas. Your anticipation while reading through is like waiting for a balloon to pop in a room full of needles. So not only will the characters keep you engage, but the story line definitely will keep your attention.

"'It's different when it's someone you love, isn't it?'

    'Yeah.'"

 

 

Besides the main story line, there are also some great and heavy side stories and relationships that are just as relevant to anyone who reads this book. There's the relationship between Emmadean, Nora's caretaker growing up, and Nora. Then there's Nora and her sisters Mary's rocky relationship and Sophie and her daughter's up and down relationship. There's a good amount of other things to explore and discover that help our main characters navigate their world and how they deal with their emotions and their life.

 

Overall, I have become a new fan of Melissa Lenhardt and I think you will be too. The Secret of You and Me has a compelling plot, great characters, relatable and will keep you engaged until the very end. I give this a 5 out of 5 and will recommend this read to anyone. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Watch my booktube review here!

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.

 Facebook ║ Instagram ║ Website

Goodreads ║ Amazon ║ BookBub ║ Twitter -------------------------------------

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.

 August 11-21, 2020

(U.S. Only)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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	All the Ups and Downs
8/11/20	Review	Tangled in Text
8/12/20	Review	Momma on the Rocks
8/12/20	BONUS Post	Hall Ways Blog
8/13/20	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
8/14/20	Top Six List	Texas Book Lover
8/14/20	Review	Bibliotica
8/15/20	Excerpt	StoreyBook Reviews
8/16/20	Guest Post	The Page Unbound
8/17/20	Review	Missus Gonzo
8/17/20	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
8/18/20	Audio Spotlight	Book Bustle
8/19/20	Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
8/19/20	Review	Reading by Moonlight
8/20/20	Review	It's Not All Gravy
8/20/20	Review	That's What She's Reading

   blog tour services provided by