This is book 2 of the Fairham Island series which, right now, just consists of these 2 books. This book is not a continuation of the first book but picks up a few years after the first book ends. It does a nice job of bringing you up to date on the characters' lives from the first book but there is no need to have read that book first.

This tells the story of Keith Lazarow as he returns to Fairham Island after the death of his mother, with whom he had a tumultuous relationship with. After he returns, he becomes suspicious of his mother's death which was ruled a suicide. He thinks she was murdered and sets out to prove it.

I really enjoyed this series and the characters were real and relatable. Definitely recommend. ( )

A story by itself but glad I read first book also. Although there was romance it did not overtake the story completely. Ending not how I entirely guessed. Gave Keith a lot of credit for holding it together, believing in his sisters, having learned what his drug triggers were, and accepting Nancy with her attempts at keeping their relationship honest. Glad Nancy held out for what she truly wanted. The mother, Josephine, really was all about herself to use Rocki’s husband just cause she could. Surprised that Australian Hugh was willing to go the lengths he did yet understandable considering his connections to family. ( )

It's hard to feign like for a person who has made your life a living hell. That's the dilemma Keith faces. All the money in the world could not protect him from the evil that was his mother. Now he has to find out if her death was suicide or murder. Let's face it Josephine was controlling, mean and bitter but was she desperate enough to pull the plug on her very existence to get attention or did she push someone too far? Ms. Novak blends intense mystery with heartbreaking tragedy and at times hints at unspeakable evil in her quest to create a story unlike any other. She succeeds in writing a tale that is twisted, heartbreaking and alluring in it's narrative. ( )

I love, love, love drama, and this book seemed perfect for ringing in the summer season with a nice murder-mystery romantic suspense kind of thing. And overall, the plot of this book was pretty decent. Woman dies, estranged son is convinced it’s murder and takes it upon himself to prove it, plus romance. I was super excited to get into this.

Unfortunately, this just didn’t do it for me. Keith is a pretty terrible person, and the romance was awful. He would say how important it was that he be a better person and prove to “the one that got away” (Nancy) that he’s a better person. So, naturally, he promptly goes into pressuring her for sex and getting angry when she says no and that she’s dating other guys and being your typically abusive, possessive asshole. So, um. Yeah. Not a fan of that. I also didn’t like the fact that Keith is “so hot” a lesbian character says maybe she’ll turn straight for him. I think it was supposed to be a joke, but it was tasteless and also unclear, which means it wasn’t pulled off well.

The murder mystery itself is vaguely interesting and had some twists and turns, but the romance put me off the whole book, because I just couldn’t root for a guy who was so awful.

Also posted on Purple People Readers. ( )

Josephine Lazarow had a lot of secrets....

The Secrets She Kept, book 2 in the Fairham Island series, picks up 5 years after The Secret Sister. Josephine Lazarow is dead. Her death has been ruled a suicide, but her son, Keith Lazarow, is not convinced. His mother would never take her own life, he insists. Once a down and out addict, Keith has turned over a new leaf. Turns out he has a knack for real estate and operates a multimillion dollar company in California. His newfound wealth gives him the means to delve deeper into his mother's death. After consulting with his sister Maisey regarding the mysterious circumstances surrounding their mother's death, she supports Keith's decision to pursue a more thorough investigation. If only he could persuade the beautiful, highly intelligent and efficient Chief of Police, Harper Underwood, to get on board. Keith realizes that his negative reputation precedes him, and that it will take great effort on his part to reverse others' preconceived notions of him, including the police chief's. Meanwhile, Keith is trying to contain his feelings for the woman whose heart he broke 5 years earlier before he got clean, Nancy Dellinger. Realizing he made a tremendous mistake in taking her for granted, he desperately wants to start over with her. But Nancy has continually resisted his attempts and Keith is having a difficult time accepting her rejections. Will these distressing circumstances in his life push Keith over the edge and back to the drugs he's worked so hard to put behind him? Did Josephine take her own life or did someone murder her?

The Secrets She Kept was every bit as good as The Secret Sister, which was a 5-star read for me. In it we find a great mystery alongside a solid, second-chance romance story. Brenda Novak is very adept at conveying human emotion. Her characters' feelings and expressions are authentic and relatable. I also appreciate how there's a purpose for every one of her characters. At the conclusion of the book the reader is not left wondering "whatever happened to so and so?". Everything comes together at the end, neat and tidy, with each person accounted for. Some of the characters that we were introduced to in The Secret Sister have evolved and matured in The Secrets She kept, and for that reason I recommend reading the books in order. If I had to list any cons for this book there would only be one. I wish it was free of the heavy petting and sensual scenes since I prefer wholesome romance. Just my own personal preference. Brenda Novak's writing is so good it doesn't even seem necessary. Being that the romance aspect shared space with the mystery, these scenes were few and I did my best to skip over them. Had everything remained the same, and the romance been strictly sweet, it would be a 5++ read for me.

Overall, The Secrets She Kept was an excellent read with a thoroughly satisfying mystery and a HEA that will melt your heart. ( )