Secrets We Keep: A bittersweet story of love, loss and life

By Faith Hogan

Some people are good at keeping secrets but some secrets are never meant to be kept...

The beautiful old Bath House in Ballytokeep has lain empty and abandoned for decades. For devoted pensioners Archie and Iris, it holds too many conflicting memories – sometimes it's better to leave the past where it belongs.

For highflying, top London divorce lawyer Kate Hunt, it's a fresh start – maybe even her future. On a winter visit to see her estranged Aunt Iris she falls in love with the Bath House. Inspired, she moves to Ballytokeep leaving behind her past heartache – but can you ever escape your past or your destiny?

A bittersweet story of love, loss and life, from the number one bestselling author of The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club. Perfect for the fans of Sheila O'Flannagan and Patricia Scanlan.

Praise for Faith Hogan's books:

'Uplifting, emotional and brimming with warmth and humour' Cathy Bramley on The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club

'Joyful, life-affirming and inspirational' Heidi Swain on The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aria
• Release date: Feb 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781784977184

Faith Hogan

Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Hons Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

Reviews for Secrets We Keep

[Suze Lavender · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kate has distant relatives in Ballytokeep. She's tired of her prestigious job in London and needs a break. She stays with Iris and Archie. Iris is her grandmother's sister and Archie is her husband. They're the only family Kate has left. They make her feel welcome and being near the beach does Kate a world of good. She finally has the chance to think about her life. She'd like to start over, to finally heal after having a broken heart for ten years. However, can she really let go of the past or does it still influence her, even when she's in Ballytokeep?

Rockstar Todd is at a crossroads. He's getting a little too old for his lifestyle and his friends are all married. Is it time for him to settle down as well or can he still live the life he's given up everything for and party and drink as much as in the early days of his career? Ballytokeep keeps attracting him and he's thinking about staying there for a while. Would that be a wise choice?

Iris led a turbulent life. She's now the owner of a lovely hotel and she and Archie are happy together. Her past was difficult and filled with tragedy, but she also found love and companionship. Fortunately she has Archie, who is the kindest man she's ever met. Archie isn't as fit as he used to be anymore. How long can they still run their hotel together? Kate is a welcome surprise, maybe she can bring back some light into their lives again.

Secrets We Keep is a beautiful story set in both the past and the present. I equally enjoyed reading about Iris, Kate and Todd. Faith Hogan's characters are fascinating and she kept surprising me with unexpected twists and turns in their lives, which captivated me straight away. I read the book in one sitting and couldn't put it down. I was too engrossed in the secrets of the past and the tragedies and victories of the present, which are all very interesting.

Iris is an adventurous person. She's talented and smart and she follows her heart. Her impulsiveness leads to trouble, but it also helps her to find the most wonderful thing there is. Kate is a sweetheart. She works hard for others and doesn't have much of a life. It's time to change that and when she discovers Ballytokeep's old Bath House she falls in love immediately. I couldn't wait to find out where that would lead. Todd is a rock star in every possible way. He likes the parties, the drinks, the girls and being admired, but he isn't as vigorous as he used to be. Maybe it's time to reflect and to overthink the mistakes he's made in the past. I loved the growth in his personality and enjoyed the changes in the way he sees Kate. Kate finds more in Ballytokeep in a few months than she has found in years in London and that's mainly due to the people she meets. The main characters are terrific and together they make Secrets We Keep intriguing and complete.

Ballytokeep is a stunning setting. Faith Hogan describes it in a fabulously thorough and vivid way. I fell in love with the place straight away and could imagine why the main characters never wanted to leave again. BallytoKeep is a place with a personality and I found that absolutely fantastic. There are many secrets and Faith Hogan expertly creates tension, which she releases in small dosages. Her writing style is gripping and I like that even though her story does contain plenty of highs and lows her tone of voice remains relatively light, so that the story gets a good balance. I highly recommend this amazing book.