This book reminded me of a cross between "The Stepford Wives" and "Dangerous Housewives". Good read, lots of drama. Just when you think you have it figure out, you realize you do not. Drama, lies, etc. It's all here in this book. I recommend. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book. Although I received the book in this manner, it did not affect my opinion of this book nor my review.

When Desperate Housewives takes a dark turn down Mental Illness Lane…

Elizabeth and her family lives in Waterford, where everyone is fake, and most women spend their time drinking and gossiping all day.

Elizabeth has her fair share of secrets to hide, so when someone starts a gossip blog about the people of Waterford, things aren’t looking very peachy for her. Her mental illness and past suicide attempt doesn’t really fit the style of Waterford that much after all.

Despite the fact that I figured out the identity of the secretive blogger pretty early on, I was totally addicted to this story.

It was like high school all over again, but instead of bitchy teenage girls we got a bunch of middle aged, drunken ladies who got suburb politics down to perfection. On top of the food chain you got the Bitch Brigade, headed up by Karen who basically runs the town. Then we get the Periphery Girls who are trying everything they can to become one of their minions. Why? I have no idea, but they sure as hell are dying to get into the inner sanctum.

The story is narrated by Elizabeth, who due to her medication she takes for her bipolar disorder washed down by prosecco and red wine can’t remember much most of the time, so you can imagine the uncomfortable feel that just keeps building up as things first turn weird, then unnerving, culminating in a tragic event that shakes her to the core and the poor woman is not even sure why. Jason, her husband is there to support her. Whenever it’s convenient for him, according to Elizabeth. Asshole? Or just a tired husband who can’t keep up with his wife’s ups and downs?

Can you build true friendship in an environment like Waterford? Who can you trust? Who is shagging whose husband? Why do grown ass women seek the company of fake friends and the validation from people they don’t give a toss about?

I enjoyed this book. Its fast paced and easy . I couldn't stop reading it. The characters are well developed and well written. A great beach read. Thank you to netgalley and.. the publisher for an arc in exchange for this honest review

Thanks, NetGalley and Amazon for allowing me to access an early digital copy of this book. If you're looking for a light and gossipy beach read, this book might be for you. However, I felt it was trying a little TOO hard to be Pretty Little Liars mixed with Desperate Housewives. Those shows worked, because the characters were interesting.

Mia Hayes fails to give the reader strong reasons to hate the B!tch Brigade of wealthy Waterford (honestly, they're just not mean enough) and doesn't give quite enough support to the main character we're supposed to be rooting for. Elizabeth is yet another housewife controlled by her husband's money and status, using it as an excuse to why she won't leave him, even though she's miserable. (Feels like I've read too many of these lately.) As she narrates, Elizabeth implies she is better than the other housewives, but doesn't show a glimmer of any redeeming qualities.

Hayes sets the scene, puts in the actors and all the requisite plot points—the friend you don't know if you can trust, the controlling husband, the ex-boyfriend—but the story falls flat. I crossed the finish line, but I can't recommend it. There are a ton of other similar beach books that are just better plotted. Sorry, 2 stars.

There is a social clique in Waterford and there are women who will do anything to be included. On most days Elizabeth would rather not be involved especially since she has secrets that she can't afford these women finding out. When an anonymous person begins to blog about these women, paranoia ensues. While not a gripping read it was quite entertaining.

This book was kind of like passing a car wreck - you don't want to look, but you can't help yourself. THE SECRETS WE KEEP is an engrossing novel about characters I hope in no way resemble real people. Hayes introduces us to Elizabeth and Jason, a married couple who have recently moved to the suburb of Waterford, outside of Washington, D.C. Their marriage is in tatters; Jason's affair triggered severe depression in Elizabeth and now she has been thrown into the deep end of the cattiest, bitchiest social circle ever described. As Elizabeth tries to recover from the wounds of her husband's infidelity, a new blogger starts to expose the dark secrets of Waterford. Each character in this book deeply disgusted me, but I could NOT put the book down. Fans of the Real Housewives shows will love this one.

I loved the way this book is written. An unknown blog writer stirs things up in the suburbs and everyone is all about making it to the top. It is a darker themed chick lit book

Thank you Net Galley for my advanced copy. I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and kept my interest. Lots of twists to the plot. Definitely would recommend

This is my first book by Mia Hayes...thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book started out slow!
I found it quite confusing with many characters that I just couldn’t seem to relate to.
Once I finally got into it I somewhat enjoyed the story...but I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought and hoped I would.

In an effort to start over after her husband has an affair and she a breakdown, Elizabeth finds herself in bitchville. Alone and more anxious than ever, Elizabeth attempts to rebuild her family in their new town. Nothing is quite what it seems, the school moms are only interested in annihilating each other, and even her husband seems out to get her. Is she really crazy, as he and her therapist imply, or is something amiss? And then there's Pete, her first love who seems to be lurking around every corner trying to get her attention. Enjoyable in the same way one would binge watch Desperate Housewives; a schoolyard mom drama that most parents can probably relate to. – Leza Bredenkamp

3 1/2 stars.

This review appears in Romantic Intentions Quarterly #2.

While it was a good book it just focused on too many people to be a great book. It felt like I was back in high school listening to the drama unfold. I was not impressed by this book, it felt fake and demeaning.

If you enjoyed When Life Gives You Lululemons or any of Liane Moriarty's books, you need to read The Secrets We Keep.

Elizabeth doesn't fit in in the suburbs. After her husband's affair, they moved their family to a new suburb where drinking and gossiping are the order of the day. It's like Real Housewives on steroids.

When someone starts a blog chronicling all the delicious gossip, tragedy is soon to follow.

I could not put this book down. Ms. Hayes can really write!

I loved this book and cannot recommend it enough!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Loved this book. Great story line and characters. There were different twists and perspectives which were fast paced and held your attention. Thank you Net Galley, publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Elizabeth, her husband Jason, and her three sons, move to wealthy suburbs in the east, after her husband has a nine month affair with a co-worker. The affair devastates Elizabeth and trigger bi-polar disease, and it takes a very long time before Elizabeth can even manage to get out of bed. With the help of a therapist, drugs, drowning herself in booze, and being allowed in the most popular group (the Bitch Brigade), without even really trying, Elizabeth is trying to keep the affair in the past and also keep the past (the affair, her bi-polar diagnosis, her suicide attempts) off an extremely gossipy anonymous blog about her suburb. Elizabeth is hanging by a thread, never really feeling she trusts her husband, never knowing who might really be a friend or foe, and dealing with the guilt of not being a better mom to her sons.

It's a great read in that it kept me interested the entire time, even though I had figured out some of the secrets. I wanted to know how things ended although I didn't want to spend any more time with the characters after the book was done because none of the adults are people I'd want to know in real life. Gossip, revenge, jealousy, cruelty, back stabbing, and infidelity rule the day and no one in this book can feel like they are ever good enough, due to the rules of their social circle. This is really a dark book but so many of the bad things that happen to many of the characters happen because they aren't "authentic" and are trying to live lives that are all for show.

Thanks to Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), FinnStar, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This book started off a little slow for me, but I got into it pretty quickly. I really liked how the author developed the characters. They appear to be one dimensional, but are multi-layered. This is definitely one that is character driven.

I had to DNF this. I guess you can call it Gossip Girl meets Desperate Housewives, except a lot more boring and predictable. I got about 37% in and just couldn’t wait to give up. The characters are annoying and the plot is super predictable at this point. The writing style isn’t doing much for me either. Some books just aren’t for everyone.

Contains discussions on mental health and bipolar disorder. Trigger warnings: suicide.

Pros:
Talked about mental health (bipolar disorder).
Cons:
Way too much gossip!

I felt that the story was an ok read, but I got alittle confused with all the characters. I wanted more focus to be on Elizabeth, Sarah, and Jason. I rated the novel 3.25.

This book was well written, so that is the only reason I could keep going with it. It was basically going back to high school, in adult form with a bunch of gossiping women, and cheating husbands. Do adults act like this in real life? The book would have been better if it would have focused on Sarah, Elizabeth, and Jason, instead of adding in the "Bitch Brigade."

The Secrets We Keep by Mia Hayes is dark, truthful and raw story about today's suburban society.

Elizabeth life is perfect, at least looking from the outside. She has a wonderful husband, great kids, beautiful home and enough means to lead a dream life. She has friends, at least looking from the outside. Are they really friends or are they enemies? People who are ready and willing to stab you in the back to save face and continue with the pretense of perfection.
Battling her health issues and past problems she is trying to keep her marriage, motherhood and her new standing in her society from falling apart when vicious gossip starts about the most prominent suburban ladies.
Raw to the bone, so so true and very insightful this book will break your heart as you follow the life and lies of Elizabeth's life. I was crushed by how fake and wrong lives are of those that most of us think have got it all.
Well written and poignant this book is the testament of modern society.

Great book. I figured out the secrets about halfway thru the book, but that didn't stop me from feverishly reading the rest. Once I finished it, I realized I didn't want the book to end. Great debut, look forward to reading more by Mia Hayes.