by Barbara Conrey
A heartfelt congratulations to Barbara Conrey on the publication day of her second novel, My Secret to Keep. This book is awesome! I had a hard time putting it down. I almost took it into the shower with me because I forgot I was holding it in my hands. 🤣
It starts in present day and then immediately goes back to 1949 and proceeds chronologically from there. The protagonist, Maggie, is a 16-year-old who is pregnant, just lost her boyfriend in a horrible car accident, is kicked out by her parents and moves in with her adult brother and his wife, who definitely doesn’t want Maggie there. She finds a new friend in her GED teacher as she gets her high school diploma and tries to make a new life for herself. But the town holds onto grudges and passes judgment. I found myself rooting for Maggie at every turn, often through tears and anger. She has tenacity, strength, and guts. 💪
The book deals with secrets and lies, ones that we tell ourselves, and ones that we tell others. It explores themes of identity, shame, love, and forgiveness. I can tell that this was a book written from Barbara’s heart. And it touched mine deeply! ❤️ There are some particular issues in here that are very important to me and struck me to the core. And that show up in my own manuscript that I hope will be my debut novel. 🤞
If you love historical fiction, family drama, and strong female protagonists who rise above adversity, do yourself a favor and grab this book immediately. You will love it!
