A review by yetanothersusan
Secrets of Our House by Rea Frey

medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

This was not a thrilling domestic drama as stated in the summary. The first 70% of the book was a slow family saga of a couple who don't want to be in their marriage anymore but then do odd things like spend the summer trying to rekindle their relationship, going to marriage counselling, etc. I couldn't grasp why when they both wanted out. Instead of a suspenseful drama, this felt very much like women's fiction, trying to get in touch with what you really want kind of story. The problem with that for me was that I didn't like Desi. I didn't understand the choices she made, how she interacted with her family, and the foreshadowing that seemed overly dramatic. Finally, at about 70% of the way in, some drama and suspense finally makes it into the story. This part was very good and I wish it had been a larger portion of the book. 

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.