Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - The Secret of You and Me

There aren’t words beautiful enough to adequately describe what this book made me feel. How this book made me feel. That could ever explain the pieces of me that now exist within the pages of The Secret of You and Me, between Nora’s and Sophie’s tentative glances and touches and dance around one another, between their lips as they whisper.

I wish I could experience this story for the first time all over again. I wish I could map out my own love and hope and fears for Nora and Sophie and feel it all over again, a million times over. I just knew, from Jane Austen’s quote, that I would love this book unconditionally.

I will always cherish the way this book made me feel: all the passages I reread for the butterflies and the heart racing, all the times I stopped myself and contemplated starting the book again from the beginning just so it wouldn’t end. I loved it, I loved it, I loved it.

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gtrue21's review against another edition

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3.5

This isn’t my favorite queer romance, but it feels very realistic. The constraints of living in a small conservative town and not being able to realize your identity until later in life is a very real thing for a lot of LGBTQIA+ folks, and at the same time, sometimes you just want them to be happy without having to deal with oppression and societal expectations.

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tigerlilliereads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuassion this story centers around a small town in Texas where two best friends fell in love as teenagers but then were separated for a range of reasons. When Nora returns to her small town with small views for the funeral of her father she has to contend with the past she was trying so hard to run away from.., whereas Sophie has to come to terms with what she really wants.

A story about true identity, acceptance, trust and lies, family, small towns and ultimately love.

I sped through this book, the characters are complex and real, the story - one of heartbreak and desperation. I loved how the main characters were in the midst of their lives, how that made everything more realistic and yet more complicated for them. Despite some spiteful characters, the story is one of hope and hope for anyone out there who is scared to show their true selves or has to hide from others.

The only thing I would say is that the couple dynamic and constant arguing, sniping at each other doesn’t give a positive light on the relationship, but considering the circumstances.., they both come with a lot of baggage and I think that’s the biggest point of this… coming out later on in life comes with a lot more baggage.

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marx's review against another edition

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slow-paced

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

this book is better written than 90% of f/f romance novels (not a high bar) but the plot is completely unbearable. just want to mention the extremely funny fact that the book constantly alludes to the ex-military protagonist’s career in a Shadowy American Intelligence Agency without revealing what she actually does for work. folks, the deep state is infiltrating our lesbian fiction.

(also there are no sex scenes in this. booooo hissss)

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notimetoread's review against another edition

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hopeful slow-paced

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

3.25

it was decent, dragged on for a while very dramatic/cheesy at times, the characters were fine, i felt for them but it didn’t really pull me in. The conflict becomes repetitive after a while and the resolution isn’t super satisfying and also very cheesy. But i knew what i signed up for, i don’t mind the cheesiness, for me the issue was the plot/conflict moving way too slow.

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cleo_wylde's review

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emotional hopeful medium-paced

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

3.0

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marsiedotes's review

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medium-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated

I wanted the main characters to have a happy ending, but I felt that the writing could've been better. It all felt a little corny and neat at the end, and some aspects felt unfinished. I appreciate that the author donated a percentage of the book's royalties to the It Gets Better Project, though.

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