The Secret Keeping

I bought "The Secret Keeping" about a year ago and immediately fell in love with Lydia and Helaine ... and Delilah and Paula ... and all the other wonderfully drawn characters in The Secret Keeping. I also fell in love with the author's prose ... I can't remember the last time I read a novel where the words jumped off the page and drew me in so quickly! If I had to describe the book in three words or less I'd say it's saucy, sexy and smart! I recently bought the Special Edition to see if Ms. Saint Marie could improve upon perfection ... and, surprise, surprise, she did! The book is even tighter and wittier and this cover does the story justice, unlike the original. If you're sick and tired of reading flat, simple, dull lesbian romance novels where the characters have as much depth to them as a piece of paper and the stories are as predictable as the sun rising in the east, then I suggest you buy this book, pour yourself a glass of wine (I prefer a nice, light, red), find a comfortable spot, and be prepared to be entertained and wowed! And when you're done with this novel, the author's second offering, "Keeping Mr. Right", awaits ...

This novel is everything the other reviewers have said it is - and it does not disappoint. The writing style emulates that of the French Realists - and again, in this, it does not disappoint. The key to enjoying this kind of work, as the other reviewers have mentioned, is patience. Seat yourself in the Frank's Place, and let the story unfold around you. If you try to rush the story along, you will no doubt have trouble seeing past the darkness. Let yourself be the voyeur and you will be ever so inspired by the strength of two women in love.

A friend of mine who is a very picky reader went crazy over this book and insisted that I read her copy. I'm glad I did. The first part seems like a bunch of random musings about Lydia and Helaine, two women who don't even know each other. Then their paths begin to converge and the seemingly unrelated pieces start to make sense. Before I realized it, I was lulled into an intricate, fast-moving plot. Once the tension starts to build it continues to escalate until the very end. The descriptions of what the women are going through as the story unfolds are made more meaningful and are intensely felt because of the author's skill at defining their mental and emotional makeup at the beginning of the book. As I was flying through the last several pages, my muscles were actually tense. It's quite a reading experience. I returned my friend's book to her, but I've already ordered my own copy. I plan to read it again in a year or two. Another reader mentioned that the cover doesn't relate very well to the story, and I want to second that. I don't see any connection at all between the cover and the book. In fact, I was put off by the cover and almost didn't read the book because of it. So if there is another printing, a different cover would be beneficial. Meanwhile, remember that "you can't tell a book by its cover."

The back cover calls this a "high stakes girl-gets-girl romance." That's an understatement, to say the least. Midway through the book you can see that what appears at first to be a slow start is actually a masterful job of character development. The author skillfully "peels the onion" to show the complexities of the protagonists. Then when things really start moving, you are totally invested in the outcome. As the plot progresses through increasingly complicated twists and turns, the pace continuously increases. By about three quarters through I had reached the point where every few pages I would think, "I can't believe this is happening," then assimilate the latest turn of events, then read another few pages and do it all over again. Wow. Although I don't usually go so nuts over an author (click on "see all my reviews" if you think I'm kidding), I honestly believe this one has the writing skills of a seasoned pro. I'm surprised that this is her first published book, and I eagerly await the next one.

Witty, sexy, and well written, this novel is easily worth the investment of time and money. It was... dare I say... **smart.** And who doesn't love that? The crisp dialogue and evocative descriptive passages drew this reader in. Just be sure to start reading when you have plenty of free time because you won't want to put it down. Best of all, in a world of dull lesbian romance clones, this book was truly unique and the author displayed a voice that was all her own. I'm eagerly anticipating future works from Francine Saint Marie! What wasn't so great? Not a lot. But here goes... The cover does this book a great injustice. It's so dark and dreary while the novel itself is anything but gloomy. Combine that with the book's ominous title and a book buyer is likely to get a very wrong impression. Ignore these things when purchasing. The very start of the story moved a tad slow for my tastes. When it picks up steam, it REALLY moves. But a tiny bit of patience is required to get you there. Finally, the characters have an odd habit of referring to each other by their first and last names. OFTEN. Hearing Lydia Beaumont a million times, instead of just Lydia, got old fast. These quirks, however,are easily overlooked in the face of solid entertainment. Overall - a great time!