Description
At some point, we all question why we're here on this planet, in this life. Our searching protagonist, Olivia Alfieri, has more reason than most to ask these questions, as she racks up near death experiences and some clearly clairvoyant visions.

It is in the aftermath of her most recent face-off with mortality that we meet Olivia and her brooding husband, Marco. To recover from the life-threatening ordeal, they escape to a secluded home on a mountain in Vermont. But this seclusion doesn't bring Olivia the peace and healing she strives for. Recurring dreams – or are they more than that? – and shocking news from an old friend galvanize Olivia into action and a cross-country trip, where, by apparent fate, a wizened old woman takes Olivia into her safekeeping, leaving her with a gift that will change her life forever.

SECRETS is a story about healing - both physical and emotional. And, like the river that Olivia is drawn to visit so frequently, healing flows both clear and murky.

My Review
This is the first book I have read from Christie K Kelly. It is not what I expected. I was better.

The story is well crafted as are the characters. Truly an enjoyable read.

We first meet three-year-old Olivia when she is being pulled from a pool after nearly drowning. She experiences white light and peace. The story flash-forwards to when Olivia's in her 50s. Her marriage of 30 years is flat (and even slightly aggressive, with some swearing), and she is experiencing ill health due to chemical poisoning. When she finds out that her high school boyfriend has been killed in a car accident, she decides to drive back home for his funeral. While there, she experiences vivid dreams, reconnects with people in her past, and through a variety of means, gains more clarity of life.

The book weaves between the past and the present. Unfortunately, in the present sections, there are a lot of info dumps, first about her marriage and then about other parts of her past. I found these sections tedious to read. I appreciate that characters often have a huge back story, but I think such as better delivered in small drips and drops as the reader needs to know. The author does do a good job of setting place in Vermont and Colorado.

Negatives aside, I found this an interesting read depicting one woman's journey to understand herself, both her past and where she wants to move to in the future.

I absolutely loved "The Six Gifts" by Christie K. Kelly - I couldn't wait for my nightly reading time so I could find out what happened next, and the ending certainly surprised me! This author's writing is top-notch, vivid, and imaginative. I can't wait for the sequel in this trilogy.