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Secrets: A Novel
written by Jude Deveraux
Studio : Atria
by Atria
Publisher : Atria
Released : 2008-05-01
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780743437189
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 21 reviews)
List Price : $25.95
Our Price : $10.00
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Product Description |
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At age twelve, Cassandra Madden fell in love with Jefferson Ames, a young man she met at one of her mother's business conferences. Over the years, during periods of loneliness and struggle, Cassie held on to this unrequited love in order to cope with her isolated heart and the pain of a cold mother. Even when Cassie grew up, went off to college, and met a man she thought she'd marry, her heart yearned for Jeff. In a decisive moment, she breaks off the pending engagement and travels to Williamsburg, Virginia, where the now-widowed Jeff lives with his young daughter. Cassie becomes the child's nanny, but, even though she sees the object of her desire every day, Jeff has yet to even notice her. Then, one day, she hears shots coming from the mansion of Althea Fairmont, an eccentric woman who is thought of as the world's greatest living actress. Cassie runs to investigate, and, in an instant, her safe little life is turned upside down. She begins to learn that all the people around her aren't who they claim to be. Everyone has secrets -- and until Cassie unravels those secrets, she and Jeff will never have a chance to be happy together. |
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The secret is: THIS BOOK SUCKS |
I discovered Jude Deveraux when I was 12 or 13. I was heavy into English History and "A Knight in Shining Armor" was like a dream come true for my heavily romantic 12 year old self. I've been a die-hard fan ever since.
However, I think she must have died and someone is trying to pull a VC Andrews with "secrets" or that she was kidnapped by aliens or something. Not to be outright rude but I hated this book, could not stand the main character (was she stupid?! Like seriously) and in the end all the secrets piled upon eachother made me give up on a long awaited book. I generally don't feel that money has been wasted when I buy a book... but a certain brick and mortar book store has changed their all access return policy and now I am stuck with this.
Maybe I can make a book safe out of it or something-- because goodness knows no-one is going to willingly pick this stinker off of my bookshelf. |
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don't bother |
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This book is not worth getting from the library, the heroine is just plain annoying, the storyline is unbelievable and the book does not flow from beginning to end. |
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Silly and Boring |
I loved Knight in Shining Armor, but unlike that story, which very skillfully persuaded the reader to suspend (a lot of) disbelief and to become emotionally involved with appealing, well-developed characters, this book is just incredibly silly, tiresome, and very, very boring. At best it was like a Nancy Drew story. There were far too many characters, none of them interesting, and the little girl who seemed important in the beginning of the novel simply disappeared after a few chapters (although the heroine spent the entire bulk of the book occasionally remembering to "miss" her). Having a complete neighborhood populated only by lots of spies with way too much time on their hands, as well as a Norma Desmond-like movie star, was ridiculous and impossible to relate to.
"Fish out of water" stories can be very entertaining, as can stories of innocents caught up in intrigue. Neither of those ideas works in this book. The novel is irritating in its silliness, has virtually no romance nor passion, and what little hook it establishes in the early chapters quickly dissolves. And after all, a novel called Secrets should at least have some good ones. This story has absolutely none to care about. |
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Extremely disappointing |
I was extremely disappointed with this book. The plot was outrageously contrived, and the characters were thin and poorly developed. In one scene the heroine, a shy homebody, can suddenly dance like a house afire with a partner, because she took dance lessons as a child. The characters weren't real enough for me to care about.
Like many other reviewers, I've been a fan of Deveraux's for many years, and have read all of her books (except Return to Summerhouse, which is next). Also like many others, I've noticed the quality of her books has gone down in recent years.
Yes, we all want our favorite authors to come out with new works frequently, but not at the cost of quality. Jude, please, PLEASE take your time and write the stories that we love so much. I recently introduced a friend to your books (Knight in Shining Armour and Remembrance), and she loved them. It saddens me to say this, but I would be embarrassed to recommend this book to a friend. |
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Reads like a 1970 harlequin |
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I have not submitted reviews when I have had not much positive to say. However, I felt this title read like a outline for a 1970's Harlequin and it is now 2008. The book had the making of a nice story but appears unfinished and just the outline not the actual finished novel. The characters are all over the place in thoughts and actions and all seem so immature for the ages that are given. ?? Not sure what happened here as this author it capable of much more. Now I feel guilty for complaints.... but the hard back price for this particular title was is what had me a little/lot irritated/disappointed. |
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