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morgiesorgy's review
1.0
DNF 64% through, could NOT stand the fmc. She got mad every two pages, if that, for no reason. Granted, she was right like once or twice, but it was annoying to read. She wasn’t cooperative when he actually tried to be. Just not for me so 1.25⭐️
caseroo7's review
4.0
Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
Dirty Secret is the first book in Emma Hart's new Burke Brothers series. I couldn't wait to read this book when I first heard about it, and Emma Hart did not disappoint. This book was so good and I really liked the characters. This was a sweet and moving second chance romance that I didn't want to put down. I honestly cannot wait to read more in this series and I am really looking forward to getting to know the other characters better.
Two and a half years ago Sophie Callahan left Conner Burke behind with no explanation. Though Conner has tried to move forward and get past his broken heart, he has never been able to leave his feelings for Sophie behind. Now home on a break from their band's tour, the last person Conner expects to see is Sophie. Wanting answers, Conner goes to confront Sophie only to find himself face to face with one of the reasons she left. Despite everything that has happened between them, Conner and Sophie still have a lot left unfinished between them. But things are no longer just about them, and Sophie and Conner must figure out how to deal with things between them while also doing what is best for Sophie's daughter Mila.
I really liked both Sophie and Conner. I thought that both of them handled things poorly on more than one occasion, but they were both struggling with how to deal with everything going on. Conner had never known what happened and I felt so badly for him. His feelings for Sophie were so clear as he was never able to move on from her, even with all that she had put him through. But I really loved seeing him embrace his new circumstances, and it just showed what a great guy he was. I was so happy that he never gave up on Sophie, and he could not have loved her more. Sophie had majorly messed up, but she was young and had made a bad decision. What I really loved about her was that she completely owned her actions though, and she did everything that she could to make up for her mistakes. She wanted Conner to see that she knew she had done wrong, and I loved that she went out and tried to make everything right. These two had so much love between them, and it was so clear that they were always meant to be together.
Overall, I thought that this was a great story. It was such a journey for each of these characters and I enjoyed seeing them grow and heal as the story progressed. This was a great start to the series, and I loved all the characters! I can't wait to get to know each of the Burke boys better, and I think that they all have a lot to offer as they are so different from one another. I will say that I thought at times this book seemed to almost go around in circles a bit though, and that is why this one wasn't a five star read for me. I felt like Conner and Sophie kept repeating mistakes and at times I just wanted to tell them to get over themselves and figure things out. But I really enjoyed it and the ending made up for everything that had happened. I would definitely recommend this book, and I can't wait for more from Emma Hart in the future.
**ARC Provided by Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books**
Dirty Secret is the first book in Emma Hart's new Burke Brothers series. I couldn't wait to read this book when I first heard about it, and Emma Hart did not disappoint. This book was so good and I really liked the characters. This was a sweet and moving second chance romance that I didn't want to put down. I honestly cannot wait to read more in this series and I am really looking forward to getting to know the other characters better.
Two and a half years ago Sophie Callahan left Conner Burke behind with no explanation. Though Conner has tried to move forward and get past his broken heart, he has never been able to leave his feelings for Sophie behind. Now home on a break from their band's tour, the last person Conner expects to see is Sophie. Wanting answers, Conner goes to confront Sophie only to find himself face to face with one of the reasons she left. Despite everything that has happened between them, Conner and Sophie still have a lot left unfinished between them. But things are no longer just about them, and Sophie and Conner must figure out how to deal with things between them while also doing what is best for Sophie's daughter Mila.
I really liked both Sophie and Conner. I thought that both of them handled things poorly on more than one occasion, but they were both struggling with how to deal with everything going on. Conner had never known what happened and I felt so badly for him. His feelings for Sophie were so clear as he was never able to move on from her, even with all that she had put him through. But I really loved seeing him embrace his new circumstances, and it just showed what a great guy he was. I was so happy that he never gave up on Sophie, and he could not have loved her more. Sophie had majorly messed up, but she was young and had made a bad decision. What I really loved about her was that she completely owned her actions though, and she did everything that she could to make up for her mistakes. She wanted Conner to see that she knew she had done wrong, and I loved that she went out and tried to make everything right. These two had so much love between them, and it was so clear that they were always meant to be together.
Overall, I thought that this was a great story. It was such a journey for each of these characters and I enjoyed seeing them grow and heal as the story progressed. This was a great start to the series, and I loved all the characters! I can't wait to get to know each of the Burke boys better, and I think that they all have a lot to offer as they are so different from one another. I will say that I thought at times this book seemed to almost go around in circles a bit though, and that is why this one wasn't a five star read for me. I felt like Conner and Sophie kept repeating mistakes and at times I just wanted to tell them to get over themselves and figure things out. But I really enjoyed it and the ending made up for everything that had happened. I would definitely recommend this book, and I can't wait for more from Emma Hart in the future.
**ARC Provided by Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books**
booksiedaisy_'s review
fast-paced
3.5
This secret baby romance is the first novel in Emma Hart's Burke Brothers series which follows the four brothers that together form mega-famous band Dirty B. While the premise was promising, the inconsistent pacing prevented this one from becoming an all-time favourite.
When Sofie Callahan found herself pregnant at 19, she decided instead of getting in the way of her musician boyfriend's dreams, she would run away. Two years later she's back, and Conner is now famous.
Conner has spent the last two years missing Sofie. She disappeared without a word, and he's never been able to forget her. When he discovers the massive secret she's been keeping from him, his world is (for lack of a better word) rocked.
Dirty Secret, by Emma Burke was the first ‘secret baby’ book I ever read, it’s what got me into the trope in the first place. I was interested to find out if my tastes had changed since I first read it. Would I give it the same star rating, would I like it as much as I did the first time around?
Dirty Secret, by Emma Burke was the first ‘secret baby’ book I ever read, it’s what got me into the trope in the first place. I was interested to find out if my tastes had changed since I first read it. Would I give it the same star rating, would I like it as much as I did the first time around?
Right off the bat, this story is like the the insta-love trope, but replace love with plot. Normally, plots follow a nice curved arc. You start off slow, build up to a peak, then gracefully fall. Dirty Secret had none of that. Emma Hart drops you halfway up the mountain, going full steam ahead, before the first chapter is done. I remember appreciating this when I first read it, impatient to get to the good part of the story. However, my tastes have definitely changed since 2018, and I now prefer when a bit more time is given to develop a story, and flesh out the characters. I’m being told that the characters are feeling intense emotions, but I’m not experiencing any of them because I haven’t had enough time to emotionally connect either the hero or heroine. By chapter five, they’re kissing, and Connor is saying things like “What if you were my dream?” and other things, that if they came 5 chapters later, after some character development, would have hit harder. The other issue that arises from this is once the crux of the story is done within the first 30%, the last 70% of the book doesn’t have anything to build towards. It’s overall a cute read, but will I be picking it up for a third time? Probably not.
aralston08's review
4.0
*I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dirty Secret is a second-chance romance featuring Conner Burke, lead singer of Dirty B, and Sofie Callahan, the girl next door. Sofie disappeared 2 years prior without a trace, leaving Conner heartbroken and confused. Now that she’s back, Conner is determined to find out why she left in the first place and if they can mend what’s broken.
I liked Dirty Secret, a lot. There were many times I was left breathless from the chemistry between Sofie and Conner, and many times I wanted to throw my Kindle against the wall because of them. I love when a book can make my heart race from equal parts excitement and anger.
I have to admit, I was not a huge fan of Sofie for the majority of the book. I think her actions were immature and irrational and I really wasn’t on board with her reasoning. I also could not for the life of me understand why she would be upset when Conner was angry with her. I think he had every right to be angry and I think he treated her more respectfully than most people would in his situation. I think her saving grace for me was that even though I didn’t agree with her logic, I could on some level understand it and forgive her naiveté.
Conner, however, was another story. He’s a rock star with a down-to-earth attitude which is seriously hot. I found him to be endearing and although he was pretty quick to forgive Sofie, I think he was the more mature of the two characters and I respected that. I loved his Southern charm and I loved the way he loved Sofie and Mila. His interactions with Mila may have been what made this book for me. I could feel myself smiling and my heart swelling with every interaction between the two.
My favorite part of reading a new series from Emma Hart is meeting all the characters. I think she is fabulous at creating characters with distinctive personalities. I have never found one unmemorable. I am so excited that this will be a series because I cannot wait to see more form the Burke brothers, especially Tate. I found Tate’s stand-offish behavior to be intriguing and I was ecstatic when Mila was able to deflate his tough guy persona. I was also a really big fan of Leila, the Burke sister. She was such a spit-fire and I loved that she had no problem telling Conner and Sofie when they were being childish. I know this series is called The Burke Brothers but I would be more than happy to read Leila’s story. (hint, hint)
Dirty Secret is chock full of romance, drama, and hilarity. I was furiously turning pages to find out what was going happen next between Sofie and Conner, would they or won’t they? Although I struggled with Sofie as a character this didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story itself. I don’t have to like a character but I need to be able to at least know the why of their behavior. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next Burke Brothers book!
Dirty Secret is a second-chance romance featuring Conner Burke, lead singer of Dirty B, and Sofie Callahan, the girl next door. Sofie disappeared 2 years prior without a trace, leaving Conner heartbroken and confused. Now that she’s back, Conner is determined to find out why she left in the first place and if they can mend what’s broken.
I liked Dirty Secret, a lot. There were many times I was left breathless from the chemistry between Sofie and Conner, and many times I wanted to throw my Kindle against the wall because of them. I love when a book can make my heart race from equal parts excitement and anger.
I have to admit, I was not a huge fan of Sofie for the majority of the book. I think her actions were immature and irrational and I really wasn’t on board with her reasoning. I also could not for the life of me understand why she would be upset when Conner was angry with her. I think he had every right to be angry and I think he treated her more respectfully than most people would in his situation. I think her saving grace for me was that even though I didn’t agree with her logic, I could on some level understand it and forgive her naiveté.
Conner, however, was another story. He’s a rock star with a down-to-earth attitude which is seriously hot. I found him to be endearing and although he was pretty quick to forgive Sofie, I think he was the more mature of the two characters and I respected that. I loved his Southern charm and I loved the way he loved Sofie and Mila. His interactions with Mila may have been what made this book for me. I could feel myself smiling and my heart swelling with every interaction between the two.
My favorite part of reading a new series from Emma Hart is meeting all the characters. I think she is fabulous at creating characters with distinctive personalities. I have never found one unmemorable. I am so excited that this will be a series because I cannot wait to see more form the Burke brothers, especially Tate. I found Tate’s stand-offish behavior to be intriguing and I was ecstatic when Mila was able to deflate his tough guy persona. I was also a really big fan of Leila, the Burke sister. She was such a spit-fire and I loved that she had no problem telling Conner and Sofie when they were being childish. I know this series is called The Burke Brothers but I would be more than happy to read Leila’s story. (hint, hint)
Dirty Secret is chock full of romance, drama, and hilarity. I was furiously turning pages to find out what was going happen next between Sofie and Conner, would they or won’t they? Although I struggled with Sofie as a character this didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story itself. I don’t have to like a character but I need to be able to at least know the why of their behavior. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next Burke Brothers book!
colorfulleo92's review
3.0
It was midly entertaining, but I didn't like the secrets keeping and everything to do with the whole "leaving town drama". Was a bit difficult understanding the heroine's reason behind everything but it was in parts enjoyable anyway. Will probably continue on with the series if it follows another couple. I liked Emma Harts writting.
krbeers4's review
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would say the biggest area that left something to be desired was the ending, but I’m not quite sure why. It wrapped up “happily” and yet it seemed off for the characters and their story line. Idk- I just wanted/expected something else from them. I really liked this one though. I’d say the ending and a few personality quirks throughout are what kept it from a love.
rachaelann33's review
3.0
Although I did enjoy the story, I didn't really "feel" the connection between the main characters, and felt they used sex too much instead of talking so we never got to feel them actually be close again.
Besides that the story was okay, and I enjoyed reading it.
Besides that the story was okay, and I enjoyed reading it.
navybrat03's review
DNF at 34%
Where do I start? Well 1) lost any momentum I had reading this when finals came around. So there’s that, but even then I never connected with the characters and found their banter/ fights to be super cringey. That is probably the biggest reason it took me over a month and half to pick it up again. I find that the whole hidden kid thing is a storyline I can’t vibe with especially when it appears the father is going to forgive the mother so easily. I don’t think I’ll continue with the rest of the brothers’ stories either since they appeared immature and annoying in this book.
Where do I start? Well 1) lost any momentum I had reading this when finals came around. So there’s that, but even then I never connected with the characters and found their banter/ fights to be super cringey. That is probably the biggest reason it took me over a month and half to pick it up again. I find that the whole hidden kid thing is a storyline I can’t vibe with especially when it appears the father is going to forgive the mother so easily. I don’t think I’ll continue with the rest of the brothers’ stories either since they appeared immature and annoying in this book.