I am really surprised how much I enjoyed reading this book. It is not my usual genre but as it was so beautifully written I could not put it down. A difficult love story with a happy ending, recommended.

This was a pleasant romance between Sophie and Nora whose high school romance was abruptly ended when discovered by their families. When the death of Nora's estranged father forces her to return she also has to confront the old pain. It has some interesting descriptions of small-town homophobia and the pain and fear this causes young gay and lesbian people as well as closeted older people like Sophie. Nevertheless, I found the constant circling and will they-won't they tiring after a while, and the inability of the two characters to really listen to each other or understand their differing experiences

Normally, I love a second chance story but I found The Secret of You and Me a disappointment. The characters were unlikable - although I empathised more with Sophie - and it almost felt like it was a competition of who had endured the most pain. I thought the dialogue was awkward and I didn't feel any chemistry between Nora and Sophie. I hope to read more LGBTQ+ fiction in the future but not written by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beautifully written love story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion

This is the second LGBTQ book that I have read. As its always been a genre that I’ve stayed away from. Which I have to say has deprived me of reading some really good books, so I now have a new genre to my book preferences. This books shows you just how peoples prejudices can have such an impact on peoples lives, how they may change who they really are just to be accepted especially in small communities. But having to living the lie isn’t good for anyone involved.

No matter who your first love was you never forget them! Nora left her home town Lynchfield, Texas eighteen years ago with a broken heart. She never expected to stay away as long as this, but as time passed she just knew that she couldn’t go home and admit defeat to her father.

She only found herself back in her home town because her father had passed away, and was only expecting to stay there for as short a time as possible so she can get back to her own life in DC.

On the day of her fathers funeral all of the mourners filed past to pay their respects to the family. Nora was getting more and more agitated as Brenda Russell came up to them. The hostility was still there between them and Nora made her feelings known. The next mourners that she wasn’t looking forward to seeing was her ex boyfriend Charlie and his wife her ex best friend Sophie.

Nora, Sophie and Charlie could all tell that everyone’s eyes were on them watching and wondering how the three of them would be with each other. As some thought Nora left because Charlie and Sophie ended up together and that they might have been seeing each other behind Nora’s back.

Except that wasn’t the reason. When Nora upped sticks and left eighteen years ago. Charlie and Sophie were feeling as though they had been left in the lurch, and they both found solace in each other. Which led to Sophie becoming pregnant which was a huge relief to her mother Brenda Russell.

When it came to the day for the reading of the will it turned out that Nora’s father had left her the property. To the annoyance of her sister Mary. Making Nora’s quick trip home in to staying indefinitely. Sophie was so pleased that Nora was back for longer and hoped that they could get their friendship back. To the annoyance of her mother.

Since going back home Nora couldn’t help reflect on what had happened in the past. How her father had cold heartedly told her to leave. The longer she stayed the more things came to light. That her father in actual fact had just trying to protect her as Brenda Russell had been threatening to ruin Nora’s life in anyway that she could.

Nora and Sophie started to become inseparable again, and in the end they couldn’t deny that they still loved each other and that their first love was still their true love. However the only thing holding them back was Charlie as he and Sophie had a high standing in the community, not to mention how this would affect her daughter. Will Nora and Sophie be strong enough to overcome peoples prejudices and be the couple they so desperately want to be or will others stand in the way?

A lovely book about true love and having to stand up for what you want.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read a free advance copy of this book. Unfortunately I hadn't found time during the year to read this book, and so I will be picking up a paid copy in 2021 to support the author instead as an apology.

A totally different book for me and I thank NetGalley for sending in exchange for my honest views. I felt that the characters of Nora and Sophie really grew on me and I enjoyed getting to know them. A story focusing on small town attitudes and in some instances blatant homophobia, this was an eye-opening book. It handles prejudice sensitively and if you are in the mood for a love story with challenges along the way, this is for you.

This was a really cute story and parts of it were lovely but I did find it a little convoluted sometimes with a lot of obstacles as the story goes on. Nice but nothing super special for me.

This is normally the sort of book that I enjoy reading, but sadly I struggled to settle into this book. There were too many characters for me to adhere too, I did try to persevere with it, but didn't complete unfortunately, sorry.

A touching romance, that explores the bittersweet experience of first love. A sensitive coming out story, sympathetically handled. I enjoyed this very much.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book for review consideration. Unfortunately it was not a book for me and I was not able to finish it. As such I cannot provide a review for it.

Heartwarming and uplifting - I enjoyed this well written story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book, I needed to wait for the right mood for romance and ready for a bit of drama. This book is special because it's semi-based on the author's family member and their experiences of being gay in a small American town. The author is donating 10% of their royalties to the It Gets Better Project. Really enjoyed the bi-representation.

The only downside was a lot of back and forth between the characters where they weren't telling the truth or twisting old memories. Apart from that though it was lovely, fun, queer and empowering. I was expecting a bit more explicit sexy sexy times from a Mills and Boon, as it's my first Mills and Boon I wasn't sure if this is how they are or (hopefully not) because it's a queer book.

Too many young romances seem wrong and so the individuals break up, live separate lives, but meet again later on when their lives are totally different! This is the basis of this story. Strong characters carry the story through so many obstacles that it’s almost a relief to reach the end

When Noras estranged father dies, she returns to her home in small town Texas and along with it has to face up to all the reasons why she left. This small town is very conservative and nothing stays secret for long.

I loved this sapphic romance, and I my heart ached for the characters who had had to keep their true identities secret and the consequences that this led them too. I would definitely recommend this book, the author knows how to weave these stories of relationships.

A lovely exploration of relationships, but sadly didn’t grip me enough. Too many characters and lacking that special something.

A sensitive and tastefully written look at a love story and how you can heal the wounds in your past. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately I did not get very far into this book. I found too many characters were introduced too soon and I lost track of who they were. I read the first three chapters several times but still was none the wiser who everyone was so didn’t pursue. Sorry it wasn’t for me but there are many who enjoyed it

The title of the story did not lead me to expect the story within. It was a compelling love story exploring first love. The characters had gone to school together and then as a consequence of parental involvement were pulled apart at 17 years. The life they subsequently chose or was chosen for them was not the one they had planned. Maturity brought changes to them and then a parental death brings them back together again after 18 years to the small town they'd grown up in, where prejudices live on, even though the world is changing.
This story touches on the feelings of both the two main characters and their families. It challenges these prejudices and how decisions made in an instance can have long lasting repercussions for many. The author has been sensitive to the feelings of teenagers in the throes of first love, and to adults with strong beliefs of right and wrong and little tolerance outside of them. I enjoyed how these were challenged by the characters and the ending the story came to satisfied me.

This story has a really interesting set-up: teenage Nora dated Charlie but was secretly having a relationship with her best friend, Sophie, before she was practically forced to leave town when their romance was discovered by their parents. Now Nora is back in her home town and Sophie is married to Charlie, who has no idea about his wife and his ex-girlfriend's history. Sparks fly, tounges wag and Nora and Sophie have to work out if they still feel the same for each other after all these years. For a lesbian Mills and Boon story, this isn't a bad one. I love a second-chance romance and this one is fraught with adult concerns but sexy chemistry. The relentless obstacles and poor choices do get quite tiring though. The end is more of a relief than a joyous occasion. Otherwise, an enjoyable read.