This story of a hate crime in a small town was mesmerizing and disturbing at times. Daniel Reyes, a popular senior, was found brutally beaten near the creek for which Bethel Creek is named. Cora Maxwell thought being a widow was hard until she discovered evidence that might link Ezra, her son, to the hate crime. The plot was complicated and dealt with multiple difficult topics, including loss of a spouse, turning away from friendships and losing one’s faith, plus the one that trumps them all, a hate crime that was as horrific as they come. In a small town, the rumors started and no one was above suspicion. Riggs, Cora’s new boyfriend, is an investigative journalist who is investigating Daniel’s case and is also resented deeply by Ezra. This was a fast-paced read with a lot of characters introduced quickly. All of the characters were developed enough that they were able to add to the mysterious atmosphere of the story. There were so many complex relationships in the story that at first I was feeling a little lost, but I caught up to it all about halfway through and generally enjoyed the book, if not the themes which were dark. I became invested in finding out if Ezra was actually the culprit and if Cora would continue to hold on to her secrets about him. Her loyalty to Ezra or to the town itself were central to the story and the suspense rolled along all the way to the ending. Genre: mystery/suspense
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not requesting to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Secrets Mothers Keep is set in a Northwestern town that would like to regard itself as liberal and embracing diversity but has a nasty underbelly of violent intolerance buried beneath the surface. This underbelly of intolerances is exposed when Daniel, a teenage, LGBTQ+ Latino is attacked and left for dead. The novel's exploration of the aftermath of this hate crime perpetuated against Daniel will resonate with contemporary audiences and will echo many of the disturbing crimes of bigotry that are reported in the news.

The story is told through two narrators. The first is Cora Maxwell, a recent widow balancing raising her teenage son, Ezra, with her job writing housekeeping advice in a local newspaper column. The second is Ezra writing letters to his dead father. These notes that Ezra writes to his lost father help the story delve into one of its core and most compelling themes: the processing of grief. As the book progresses, the reader discovers that it is not only Ezra but also Cora who is struggling with feelings of isolation and grief as the death of her husband has shattered her faith and disconnected her from the church where she was once a member.

At its heart, this book is as much about grieving and finding a sense of community to combat emotions of isolation as it is about current racial relationships and about what drives people to become radicalized and motivated by violent hatred. It is also about a mother's love and the limits of what she will turn a blind eye to when it comes to her beloved son.

The chapters are brief contributing to a sense of suspense, and there are some twists at the end that enhance the plot.

This is a book that should engage the hearts and minds of those who read it.

First book I've read by Anya Mora.
The story line was good. Good description for the characters.
Will definitely been looking for more books by this author in the Kindle store

Received this book in exchange for an honest review.

First book I've read by this author. Despite several typos in the book, the story itself was ok. It was a quick read. Cora and Ezra are trying to function on their own after the death of Noah, Cora's husband and Ezra's father several years prior. The story starts with a young man, Daniel, who is left for dead. Daniel and Ezra were close friends when they were younger and Daniel's family lived in the same duplex and Ezra and his family. Both now 17, they have grown apart and Cora has left the church where she felt grounded when she was married.

After hearing about Daniel, Cora starts thinking about the time when they lived next door to Daniel's family and how close she and his mom were. She wonders if she can fix that fractured friendship. While doing laundry, she discovers Ezra's clothes in the washer covered in blood and starts wondering if her son was involved in Daniel's attack.

Cora's boyfriend, Riiggs, is an investigative journalist covering Daniel's attack but he doesn't know about the connection between Cora and Daniel's family. She's not sure she wants him to know.

The book ended with a neatly tied bow but it left me feeling as though there could have been more to the story.

Cora suspects her only child, Ezra, is a suspect in the attempted murder of a local teenager when she finds blood and clay on his clothes. Cora wants to protect her son, as any mother would, but also wants to do the right thing.

This book alternated between Ezra writing emails to his deceased father, telling him the turmoils he was going through, to Cora’s present day. I really liked this book, and sympathized with Cora.

“And while the creator of the universe may have a mighty hand, I will stand on the altar of this promise— a mother’s love is even mightier.”— Anya Mora

Thank you Net Galley and Anya Mora for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks go to the author and Net-Galley for the complimentary Electronic copy of Secrets Mothers Keep by Anya Mora. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this intriguing novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own and nothing has influenced my rating.

Secrets Mothers Keep is a well written novel with several moments that had my heart racing as I grabbed my Kindle tight waiting to read what would happen next. The pacing kept me enthralled from the first page to the last.

Cora Mitchell is the main character and the single mother of a teen aged boy she realizes is keeping secrets. Her son seemed to accept his father’s death without any lingering effects, but when a boy in their community is found near death, she finds reasons to question her previous assumptions.

The mystery is well developed and kept me involved as the story unfolded. It had me asking a great many questions over who could be behind the attack on Daniel. The young man is a LGBTQ activist, so the community sees this heinous attack as a hate crime.

As more is revealed, it became clear Ezra must be involved in some way. While I believe a parent needs to respect their children’s need for privacy, when faced with something that could endanger one’s child, sometimes a parent must snoop. In Ezra’s case, I believe Cora had justification.

What she soon discovers, her son has been on the dark web and learns he is missing his church community. Since her husband’s death, Cora stopped attending services and is questioning why God allowed her husband to fall to his death.

This novel deals with immense grief and destruction of Cora’s belief system. It also addresses broken friendships. I found the complexity of Cora’s mind fascinating, so that too kept me reading, and I found this a difficult book to put down!

If you enjoy novels that with more substance and one with complex characters, then you will enjoy Secrets Mothers Keep as much as I did. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Moya, but it will not be the last. Happy reading!

Secrets Mothers Keep -Anya Mora

The small town of Bethel Creek is shocked by the news that Daniel Reyes has been attacked and left for dead. This terrifying attack tugs extra hard at Cora's heart strings as she remembers the close friendship her family once had with the Reye's family. In a split second, her feelings of sadness are set aside as she is faced with the dark reality that her son may not be the type of person she thought he was. She fears he has a connection to the attack after finding his bloody clothes hidden in the washing machine. She does what any mother would do, and rips through his room, uncovering secrets that she wished she hadn't, but she is still left with the biggest question, did he attack Daniel?
Secrets Mothers Keep is a thriller that delves into issues that many try to turn a blind eye to and that many people don't want to admit are an issue in their own hometowns. On the flip side, it also gives insight into a mother's need to protect their child at all costs, even if it goes against their morals.
This is the first book of Anya Mora's that I have read and I cannot wait to read some more. It kept me guessing whether or not Cora's son was capable of such an aggressive act of violence until the very end! If looking for easy read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the beginning, this is it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐/4

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a good read.
I enjoyed the mystery of it. The characters were good, but it was a bit hard to stay connected to them.
Overall it was good.

17- year old Daniel Reyes ( outspoken LGBTQ activist ) is brutally attacked and left for dead at the clay fields of Bethel Creek..
We follow Cora Maxwell, who was widowed 2 years back, and her son Ezra. Ezra is the only family she has left. when Cora finds Ezra's clothes covered in blood and mud, the day after the incident with the Reyes boy, her maternal instinct kicks in and she makes sure to remove the traces and stains. However, the doubt about her son's whereabouts on that night still lingers on her mind. The explanation Ezra provides calms her at first, but it is not long before all the strings start untangling.
The Reyes family is not unknown to Cora. Gloria Reyes (the mother) and Cora have had some history between them - not completely blissful.
Cora's heart goes out to Daniel, whom she watched growing up with her own son, but does her resolve to get justice for the Reyes boy go beyond her son's safety, were he involved in the incident?
What lengths will she go to, to find the truth; and what happens if the truth does not match Ezra's narrative?

We also watch Cora struggle with her faith, after Noah's (her husband) death. there is a new person in her life now, Riggs- an investigative journalist pursuing the case.

Friendship, faith, family, societal acceptance, and hate crime are some of the important aspects that the book deals with.
This story had a solid beginning. I was hooked and by 50% I was sure of giving it a 4 star rating at least; but the story started taking on too many angles, that seemed all over the place.

It is indeed a decent read for someone craving a fast paced mystery thriller!

I really enjoyed this book. Character development was good. The plot was very interesting. Not a lot of typos.

This was a fabulous read. I will be reading more from this author. Highly recommended.
Thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #BookBuzz, and author #AnyaMora for the ARC of #SecretsMothersKeep.

When I am reading I always wonder if I am getting the things the author wanted to convey. Not the main story, but all the undercurrents of things going on that we deal with throughout life. I love to see how characters handle situations.

I think I got it this time. It is a story as old as time. A mother trudging on trying to do the best she can for her child. Sound familiar?

When the story begins we are introduced to Cora and Ezra. They have been a family of two for awhile now. Noah, Cora's husband and Ezra's dad, fell 3 stories from a construction site and didn't make it.

When Cora hears of a boy being airlifted to the hospital, after a terrible beating, Cora panics. What if it's Ezra? How would she continue? Could she survive if she lost him? She doesn't think she could and I'm not sure she could either.

Fortunately before too much time passes Cora finds Ezra and realizes he's safe. Daniel, the boy in the helicopter, is barely clinging to life. Plus his family has a connection to Cora and Ezra. Once the families of the two boys were very close.

As time goes on little things Cora sees make her wonder if she is losing Ezra anyway. No, he's not the boy in the helicopter, but is he the one that put Daniel there?

Cora doesn't know what to do or say. She is devastated both by her situation and what has happened to the little boy that was once her son's best friend. She feels that her whole world is about to collapse. Maybe it is. Can she figure it out in time? Will she be able to help her son?

As always, the opinions expressed above are mine and mine alone.

This book check all the boxes for me. It was entertaining, but also there are lessons to be learned here. I hope you will take the time to read this one. You can buy it wherever you like to buy your books on May 6, 2021.

I was granted a free copy of this text by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a good thriller. Not great by any means because of all the cliches that were present, but a good Saturday-afternoon reading book. I hope others enjoy it too.

This was a hard to put down book with a lot of suspense. It was heartbreaking and as a mother, it made it emotionally difficult to read at time. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author!

Hold on to your seats Secrets Mothers Keep is a twisty suspenseful book that had me clinging to my seat. Such a great book.story was written well and the characters were believable. Definitely recomnend.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley.

My thoughts and opinions are my own.

want to read a story full of Lies and secrets? Read this!
I was hooked from.the first page and this writing didn't let me go till the end!
Amazing work!

I absolutely loved this book. A tight suspenceful thriller that explores family relationships and how the secrets we keep can destroy our lives. Wonderful characters who you really felt you got to know and you cared about, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to what was going to happen to them. A great book with a very satisfying ending, I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for giving me the chance to read and review this book

Gay, Latino, Daniel Reyes was found almost beaten to death in the clay fields. It is quickly considered a hate crime and police are scrambling for any leads or clues. 
On Saturday morning, Cora Maxwell finds her teenage son’s clothes covered in blood.
 She lost her husband a few years ago to a tragic accident and can’t bear the thought of Ezra leaving her also. So she does the unthinkable and destroys the evidence.

We learn that the Reyes family and the Maxwell families have history. Could Ezra have turned on Daniel and hurt him and if so why? The more that Cora investigates the more she realizes she really doesn’t know her son at all. Did she miss signs or is she making this something it isn’t?? This book had a lot of twists and turns. I read it in about 2 hours and enjoyed it. It was the first book I have read from this author and I look forward to reading more from her.

I’m still trying to draw breath after this roller-coaster of a story!
For me, it was only a little over a 2 hour read, and I managed it while “working” because it’s one of the very few I really couldn’t put down. It hurtles along apace. The religious aspect really isn’t my thing at all, but yet it was completely in calling with the subject matter of the book as a whole. It added to the story rather than detracting from it.

SO pertinent to young lives in the current climates, it was beautifully drawn on with so many emotions being brought out. Poignant ending, but each character was a delight to follow.

An emotional read filled with suspense. It’s gut wrenching as you watch Cora twist in her emotions and decisions.