Heartbreaking and emotive, with flawed and captivating characters. I was drawn in from the start and raced through it. Beautifully written and plotted, right up to the devastating climax.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this arc.
Two women with secrets to hide. Both escaping to hideaways for the summer with their respective children. No husbands included!!
Lots of mystery and intrigue. What secrets are they hiding? And will life ever be the same again??

Thank You Net Galley for an early copy of The Secrets We Keep. Wow, I did Not want to put this emotional book down. The characters were very real. and the ending was a real tearjerker Fantastic read. Thank you Kate Hewitt for a wonderful book.

First off, Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. I thought that each and every character was very well developed and I truly loved them all. The relationship between Rebecca and Tessa was very believable, even though it was based on their individual selfish needs. I think the children all behaved exactly the way children from different social and financial bakgrounds would behave towards each other. The rich kids turning their noses up at the less fortunate. However, you could see real friendship develop eventually. Weaving different subjects such as sexual abuse, cutting, alcohol abuse,and peer pressure into the story was done seamlessly by Kate Hewitt and I was totally enthralled for every minute. Without giving too much away, the ending was something that I didn’t really foresee and was shocked by the emotional response that I had. Thank you Kate Hewitt for a great read and I look forward to reading more of your books.

The Secrets We Keep by Kate Hewitt follows the lives of Tess, her 2 children and the family next door while on Summer holidays. Both women are escaping the reality of their own lives and the desire to have what's on the other side.
The first quarter of the book was slow to start but did catch momentum halfway through and then snow-balled from there.
It was well written and engaging. I did find some of the character traits over the top and unrealistic but I suppose they make for better and more dramatic reading.
The male figures in this book left a lot to be desired. Serious character flaws these men have!
The ending of this book really got to me- having a young daughter. I was not expecting the tragic nature of the story to end this way and it was heartbreaking.
All in all a very moving and emotional story.

This was the first Kate Hewitt novel I’ve read and from the outset the intrigue created by the characters pulled me in and never let go. We meet Tessa and Rebecca and their children, two separate families who have escaped New York City to spend summer by the lakes, but there is where the similarity ends. Tessa, still grieving over the death of her mother, whilst being run ragged caring for her unruly son and shy daughter, envies her holiday neighbour’s life. Whilst Rebecca’s charmed existence is less perfect than it first appears, as the demons she nurses threaten all she holds dear. This is an emotional read about families and friendship, filled with both tension and suspense. I’m delighted to have discovered another contemporary emotional fiction author who writes just the kind of novels I love.

Tessa and Rebecca are two very different women who become friends over one Summer. This book covers lots of emotional subjects with a particularly heart wrenching unexpected twist. I recommend this book

Tessa and Rebecca are two mothers who's lives are worlds apart but who form an unlikely friendship when they rent neighbouring holiday homes on the edge of the lake. On the surface Rebecca has everything, a lovely house and more money than she knows what to do with but underneath she is falling apart.... can this summer and friendship help her get back together? Tessa is also in a bad place and needs the summer with her children to get her life back into perspective and to build up the confidence if her children

An emotional rollercoaster of a book dealing sensitively with some serious issues but still being a compelling read

If you love well-written, emotional reads, you should definitely read Kate Hewitt’s titles. She has a way of narrating stories that will take you through all kinds of emotions and haunt you long after the last page. In this story, Tessa and her children, Ben and Katherine are renting an old cottage for the summer. Although, not very welcoming, the cottage is next to the lake. Not the best house but still a much needed getaway. Tessa soon meets her neighbor, Rebecca and her three kids, Zoe, Charlotte and Max. However, unlike Tessa’s old cottage, Rebecca’s rental house is gorgeous and palatial. Unlike Tessa, Rebecca is wealthy. Well, her husband is, anyway. She has a membership at the country and sailing clubs. The only thing that is similar between the two women is that they get to spend their summer in the same town.

Narrated by Tessa and Rebecca through alternating chapters, readers are introduced to the two women and the different lives that they live. Later on, an unlikely, unbalanced friendship begins to form and we get to see how this chance meeting, transforms the two women. I was completely immersed in their world. I loved their highs and but then crashed with their lows.

There are quite a number of themes that emerge such as friendship. This isn’t just about Tessa and Rebecca but it also covers their other friends at home. There is of course the theme of family. Both women are married with kids and through the chapters, we get to experience different relationship dynamics between the husbands and wives and again, the parents and the kids. There are deeper themes of grief, post traumatic disorder, self-harm. Well, the author does create realistic characters and just like us, the characters don’t exist in a stress-free world. They do have more than just one issue.

Let me just say another thing that I absolutely loved about the character development. The author did a brilliant job with the young characters. In most books that I have read, the kids are just in the peripheral, unless they are the MCs. In this title, they were all unique and their characters come alive through each chapter. Zoe was fierce! I can still see her, counting their beach space or standing on the porch with her hands on her hips. Katherine and Charlotte was adorable and so was their friendship. Little Max made me feel like reaching into the book and giving him a hug and then Ben, so misunderstood until the end. I really liked how the author gave each of these characters space to grow and have their presence felt in the narrative.

As I have already mentioned, this was an emotional read. The final chapters broke my heart and even writing this review, takes me back to all those emotions that I felt. The writing is beautiful, the story poignant and memorable and the characters, well developed and realistic. What more can we ask from an author? Kate Hewitt created another masterpiece with this title.

In a summer vacation where two women expect to renew themselves, their lives, their relationships with their children, and even their marriages, so much more than they expect happens. Tessa and Rebecca are polar opposites, one is a simple stay at home mom who is still grief ridden and suffering after the loss of her own mother. The latter lives a well rounded life of luxury on the upper east side. Both have demons of their own to fight, and both can either lose or gain everything this summer. After each woman rents a lakeside house to share with their children for the summer, they soon become more than neighbors and bond over both their differences as well as their similarities. Meanwhile, keeping their deepest secrets hidden.

Kate Hewitt is a wonderful storyteller in this novel and this is a very enjoyable novel. It’s not something extremely dramatic or suspenseful but there is such subtle, well-written drama that keeps you intrigued pace after page. Would definitely recommend.

Really enjoyed this book, I was engaged right from the very start and finished it in one sitting! Will definitely look out for more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Kate Hewitt for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

My rating is actually 4.5 stars but since there aren't half stars I always round up.

First of all, Trigger Warning for self harm and child sexual abuse.

Keeping yourself safe is most important, so make sure you’re in a healthy place before reading, my lovelies.

Feel free to send me a message on here, or a DM on Twitter for more privacy, if you want to know more about content that may trigger you.

Now onto the book review.

It seems as if everyone is keeping secrets from those around them. Pretending that they’re okay, when they’re anything but. I think we all can relate to this.

Over summer vacation 2 moms, Tessa and Rebecca, take their kids to summer vacation cottages. They didn’t know each other before the summer, but they end up neighbors, friends, and changing each other’s lives forever. They say it’s because their kids need playmates, but both moms know they need each other’s help more. Tessa has 2 kids, is in dire need of a makeover, constantly doubts herself, and has enough money but still must live by a budget. Rebecca has 3 kids, a glamorous lifestyle, a seemingly perfect life, more money than she can spend, and some serious issues going on. Hence the trigger warning. People are jealous of how well put together she seems, but inside she’s a wreck, just trying to get through the day.

I appreciated that self harm in adults is discussed. And not as a one off conversation. As a legitimate mental health concern that is featured throughout the novel. If you’re looking for good representation of self harm in adults, this is your book.

The overall story the author tells of moms as people first that also care fiercely for their children is refreshing. And you can’t go wrong with a summer cottage on the lake story.

The only caveat that I have is the weird situation that is thrust upon one of the moms about halfway through the story. I can’t give away any spoilers, but it’s kind of a you need to go with the flow story line and not critique that it probably isn’t realistic. Oh, also the ending completely wrecked me. So I can see how some people might have an issue with it.

Overall, The Secrets We Keep featured some truly broken adults who are trying to hold it together to care for their children. A wonderful authentic representation of adult self harm. I highly recommend, as long as you won’t be too triggered.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to review this book.

This story was complex, riveting and I enjoyed it. It's the story of two women, both struggling with their past, and the longing for what they may not have. Tessa and Rebecca couldn't be more different, yet they form an unlikely friendship even as Rebecca's life is spiraling out of control. There is a barely suppressed manic energy about the words on the page at times, but that fits the novel well.

I felt like I got to know the characters, their stories, and the struggles they had. The novel held my attention all the way through, and I appreciate that with a book.

Family drama at it's best. 2 Moms and their children., both Moms with baggage and different lifestyles.-an unlikely friendship. This story will get you emotionally involved from the beginning and doesnot let you down. Have lots of tissues ready!

The story begins so innocently. Two women and their children from different parts of town retreat to the lake for summer to escape their everyday lives. Of course they form a friendship. However the depth of their interaction could not be predicted. At least, not by me. The story is told between the alternating narratives of the two women - Rebecca and Tessa. The transitions are seamless. The story starts as carefree and easy and then as it develops, it has you on the edge of your seat. I cannot write much without giving away “the secrets.” However, I thoroughly enjoyed it; highly recommend it; and cried at the end.

This was my first book by Kate Hewitt, but it won't be my last! The story grabbed my attention from the start and didn't let go until the end. I especially felt the character development was very well done, though the mystery aspect was nicely plotted , too. Overall, a very satisfying read!

Two mothers who would normally never meet socially become neighbours in the not so fashionable lake side resort to which they normally would not go. It is for the entire summer so they are thrown together as it were.

Rebecca is sent away by her husband as it were, for disgracing him by being drunk at a cocktail party. He feels her absence for three months would make people forget her behaviour. The three children are a mixed bunch with the youngest Zoe being uncannily sharp, rude and arrogant. Tessa on the other hand is also at a bad point in her life. She is running away from her life and hopes that this summer will also reconnect her to her two children. Katharine who is reserved and withdrawn and Max a child with bullying issues.

Both are lonely feel discarded by their husbands and have no feeling of self worth. Both of them are trying to hold it together for the sake of their family and both are failing. Both have deep seated issues of insecurity and and in Rebecca's case a fear and hurt arising from child abuse. All this combined makes for a volatile situation which both are trying to control.

The story of friendship and family and the need to protect those we love is paramount in this story.

It was a good read, albeit an emotional one.

EXCERPT: It all happened so quickly - a blur, the blood, screams and shock. So much shock. My mind is still spinning with disbelief, that this happened to my child, but I know if it stops spinning the guilt will rush in, along with the terror. This is all my fault. I can't escape that awful reality, that I could have stopped all of this if I'd seen it coming. . . I could have kept you safe, and I didn't.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: ‘Is her life as easy and effortless as it seems from the outside? Or is she feeling lonely, all by herself in that big house, an evening stretching out in front of her just as it is for me?’

When Tessa arrives at the little house by the lake with her two children Ben and Katherine, it is an escape. For all of them. Never mind that the rental house is a bit small – it’s theirs for the summer. A place to hide…

Their isolation is disrupted when they meet the family from the big house next door. Three children Charlotte, Zoe and Max and their glamorous mother Rebecca – who seems absolutely determined to invite Tessa in to their lives.

But Rebecca is harbouring a dark secret of her own. One that will put not only her family at risk, but Tessa’s too. And when she discovers she has no option but to leave her children for several weeks, Tessa feels like the only person she can trust.

Suddenly Tessa finds herself living a life she could only have dreamed of. Wealth, a large brood of children, and Rebecca’s handsome husband Josh visiting at weekends.

But even as powerful bonds are forming between them, secrets have a way of catching up with people. And as the summer comes to an end, who will learn to love again and who will risk losing everything?

MY THOUGHTS: If you have ever felt envious of someone else's seemingly perfect life, then this is the read for you. It's quite odd, because just before I started reading The Secrets We Keep by Kate Hewitt, a friend and I had been discussing this very thing, how some people appear to just sail through life with everything falling into place while others struggle with various aspects of their lives. We came to two conclusions: either they led exemplary past lives and are being rewarded in this one, or they are masters at papering over the cracks and showing people only what they want them to see. We also decided that if the first theory is true, then neither of us have much hope for a great next life either! But, onto the book. . .

The Secrets We Keep provides a lot of food for thought. We are probably all guilty of envying someone else's life, of taking our partners and friends for granted, of wishing our children were smarter or better behaved or more socially adept. We love them, but all the same. . . there's always that 'if only' lurking in the backs of our minds. There are wonderful things about our partners and children that we don't see, because we are too busy wanting them to be what we want instead of letting them be themselves.

This book is a good reminder to see and appreciate what we have, to remember why we fell in love with our partners in the first place, to remember and honor the promises we made our children when we first held them in our arms. Although I thought it got a little 'preachy', at one point, it is a book that I enjoyed.

😍😍😍.5

THE AUTHOR: Kate is the USA Today-bsetselling author of many books of women's fiction and romance. Her latest releases are A Mother's Goodbye and A Vicarage Wedding. Under the name Katharine Swartz, she is the author of the Tales from Goswell books, a series of time-slip novels set in the village of Goswell.

She likes to read women's fiction, mystery and thrillers, and historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots.

Having lived in both New York City and a tiny village on the windswept northwest coast of England, she now resides in a market town in Wales with her husband, five children, and an overly affectionate Golden Retriever.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Secrets We Keep by Kate Hewitt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

I am a great fan of Kate Hewitt but.... I gave up about a quarter into the book. Now having gone back and reread other reviews I might go back and finish, but not today. I was given the book from NetGalley to read and review. My copy was also lost, so I went to purchase to read and review.

I struggled with The Secrets We Keep, I tried to persevere but I gave up in the end. This book was just not interesting enough to keep me reading.