Reviews

Hidden Truths by Jae

lurker_stalker's review against another edition

5.0

*Originial post - Loved this book. Can't wait to talk to Jae about it. Really enjoyed having The whole Hamilton family involved in the story. So well done.

I wasn't sure about how I would respond to a story focused on Amy but the way Jae wrote it, and included Luke and Nora, I don't think it could have been done any better. *

****Reread it and still loved it.****

**I read the new, revised version and enjoyed it more than the last time. The new scenes are really seamless.**

**1/29/16 - finished a reread of Backwards to Oregon yesterday and immediately started a reread of this one. How could I not?**

jcurry447's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

extrafolklore's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

yoyo_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

aljj's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Not as good as the first main story, but still a good time and a solid snippet of their lives many years later. So still a worth while read, full of interesting scenes and settings.

lezreadalot's review against another edition

4.0

Rika wanted that. Not the flowers, but being loved enough that someone would waste an hour of daylight to pick them for her.

4.5 stars. I'm screaming into my hands. This was such an utter freaking delight and I'm head over heels in love with this family. This continues Luke and Nora's love story from the first book, 17 years into the future, but it's primarily a love story between their daughter and a mail-order bride, and it's also a really excellent family drama, and everything about it made my heart warm and full. I liked it more than the first book, but also, I can't deny that BTO did a great job with laying these foundations.

I really dislike when books are founded in deceit, and I didn't think that would bode well for me and this book. Rika is lying about her identity, and Luke and Nora are grappling with whether or not to come clean to their kids about their relationship. I thought that would be a way bigger deal for me in this, but it wasn't? This was such a good mix of action and drama and family relationships and really, really great romance. Sometimes I don't know why I bother to read anything other than slow burn romance, because when it's done well, there's nothing more satisfying. Nothing! Amy and Rika have a tense beginning, and the slow growth of their relationship kept me glued to this audiobook for hours at a stretch. It felt so real and satisfying in that way that only queer historical romances are. Amy's struggles especially are so raw and heart-breaking, as she tries to grapple with her feelings for Rika. And the fact that this took so long to develop, but we still got all those delicious moments between them as they realised what they meant to one another... perfect. There is a Grand Romantic Gesture in here that sent me absolutely wild; it was so well-written and just... gah!

I also loved the continuation of Luke and Nora's love story, and seeing how they've raised their daughters and how smitten they still are with each other, so many years later. All the family stuff was really good. Queer family stuff makes me so happy?? There are a couple conversations between Luke and Amy that made me cry haha. There are certain familiar faces from earlier books and stories that make appearances and play important parts which I was so so happy about. I loved the conversations about there not being just one way to be a WLW in that era. I was just riveted all the way through. Though, to be honest, I didn't care very much about some of the side plots, especially the Adam thing, but even that elicited the emotions from me that it set out to.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Hayden Bishop and really enjoyed it again! I super liked her voice for Rika, which really embodied how practical and plain she was, and also completely illustrated why Amy fell for her. There was still some off pacing and pronunciations, but not enough for me to take particular note. This was SUCH a good love story. I definitely want to try more of Jae's historicals now.

Content warnings:

Spoiler

attempted rape, attempted murder, violence, arson

“Sometimes, falling in love doesn’t mean you’ll have a happily-ever-after. Sometimes, you have to fight for it.”

marinagray's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

hsinjulit's review against another edition

5.0

I love how Jae wrote from the parents’ point of view in addition to the struggling of a child trying to come out. The franticness of how the parents tried to make their child not feel any less-than is so heartwarming.
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Full review to come.

bai96's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

sterling_sapphic_reads's review

5.0

The second book in the Oregon series was absolutely superb. I loved getting to follow these c characters as they grow and evolve. Jae's writing is amazing and the narrator of the audiobook does a wonderful job bringing these characters to life and relaying their emotions throughout their journey. I'm so impressed with Jae's writing style and her ability to bring Oregon in the 1800s to life so vividly. Seeing the Hamilton family years after they make it to Oregon and how Amy and Nettie grow up into wonderful young women just makes my heart flutter. I highly recommend this wlw series to anyone. Jae does a wonderful job writing the complexities of these characters and this type of storyline. VERY IMPRESSED!