This was such a tear-jerker of a story, following a dysfunctional family in the wake of a tragic death. However, despite it being rather emotional and sad, I think it was beautifully written, adding to my enjoyment of a coming-of-age story.

Opening with Colm, readers quickly learn that this spirited, Irish man is in a hospice with terminal cancer. Using his final weeks as a means of saying goodbye, Colm records a series of videos to his closest friends and family. This is the time for him to say goodbye, to reminisce, offer hopes for the future and even, as we come to discover, apologise for past actions.

These scenes with Colm appear throughout the novel, poignantly showing Colm’s deteriorating health. I was really keen to see how Low would use these clips as Colm’s family falls apart from the burden of guilt, grief, and strained friendships. Shauna, Colm’s wife, heavily leans on others around her and I loved the intricacies of the friendship-family group that is depicted. The closeness that all the characters share is especially endearing and I think this added to the emotions running throughout the narrative.

Despite trying to move forwards, it is never easy. Low sensitively explores the theme of grieving and I think it is done in such a way that readers will be able to relate to the feelings experienced throughout the novel. Attempting to stay positive, using time as a healer… these things and more have all been said but are never enough when coping with the loss of a loved one. Therefore, whilst watching Shauna and her friends fall apart, I think Colm’s narrative adds a bit of lightness to the story.

I particularly liked the banter that existed between the characters. This provided some much needed comic relief and meant this book was a cross between a tissue-fest and necessary laughter. However, when Shauna’s support circle disintegrates, I did wonder how they would be able to repair their relationship. It turns out that the magic of Colm was what was required. Furthermore, the way that Low concluded the story was especially poignant, perhaps the most touching of all, and I enjoyed how the novel had come full circle.

Undoubtedly, this is a saddening, emotional story, but so well written. Read this book with the understanding that it is not a happy-go-lucky story, but with a fine balance between grief and comedy. I have enjoyed many of Low‘s novels in the past and think this is one of her strongest…. and saddest at the same time.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would describe this as a romantic drama, that has a few laughs along the way. The characters are well portrayed and easy to imagine when they are described within the novel. I love how you can picture each person, and connect with them individually. I was drawn to Shauna and always wanted her path to improve and for her to be happy - you’ll have to read the book to find out if this was the case. All in all I would recommend this book !

Be prepared to cry. To laugh. And to sigh with the sheer gorgeousness of this story of love, friendship and forgiveness.

Colm and Shauna were soulmates. Falling in love the night they met, they had fifteen years together and a beautiful daughter, Beth. But five years ago, Colm lost his battle with cancer. And Shauna is stuck in her grief.

Friends Dan, Lulu and Jess are there for her, but are all equally as damaged and Jess decides enough is enough. She is going to life coach the hell out of them and help them move on.

Shauna is cross that Colm didn't leave her any guidance for how to live without him.

But we know better. He recorded a series of video messages for his loved ones on his phone. But why hasn't Shauna seen them?

As things fall apart for them all, an old familiar face also returns to confuse Shauna even more.

Now, more than ever, Shauna needs Colm to guide her. And maybe, just maybe the missing phone has simply been waiting for the perfect time to be discovered.

Poignant, heart-warming and with a simple charm, this book also made me laugh a lot. I loved it.

I am usually wary about trying new authors particularly those who write contemporary Women's Fiction; in fact, I have tried only a few new authors recently. You either get an exceedingly sweet story with highly unrealistic characters or exceedingly erotic story with very little depth. I am happy to say I have finally found an author whom I can read again and again; whose characters are completely believable, real-life-like people; whose story was very much relatable.

The Story of Our Secrets by Shari Low, which came out on 2 November, 2021, is in essence a story about dealing with personal loss and working oneself out of the grief of losing a loved one. Author Shari takes us into the hearts and minds of a group of friends-cum-family who have lost their friend Colm O'Flynn. Colm's wife Shauna, his ex-wife Jess, his best-friend Dan, Dan's wife and Shauna's closes friend Lulu form this unique group of friends; in fact, they are more family to each other than just friends. They all support each other, look out for each other all the while accepting each other for what they are and as they are. This is the first book I am reading containing such a unique premise.

All of them are floundering in their lives and couldn't seem to get hold of what they ought to do with their lives. Jess, who is training as a life-coach suggests to her friends that they all could work together following her life-coach guidance to get themselves out of the rut they had fallen into after their friend's death. Thus begin the meetings, get-togethers and a general toss-up of the usual monotony of their lives, culminating in an interesting but also a heart-warming series of self-actualizations and realizations.

I loved the way the author has written the characters and given us insight into each and every one of them. This is not a love story nor a family story per se. It's more in line with being a human story and the various dynamics and shades of human relations. It is also a heart-warming portrayal of the human's resilience towards hardships, the best of human-virtues and also the worst of human-faults. I came out of this book with a sense of completion and fullness in my heart. If you are looking forward to getting the same feelings from a book, please just go ahead and buy it.

This lovely and, at times, devastatingly sad, story Col, his wife Shauna, ex wife Jess, friend Dan and his ex Lulu is told across two time periods: 2016 (Colm recorded videos for his loved ones as he faces terminal brain cancer) and 2021 (the dramas they are going through). As the story unfolds, we learn about the relationships between the group, the secrets they hid and how they deal with the loss of a loved one. Beautiful story..

I've waited a day since finishing my complementary copy of this book
Before writing my honest review at which you're now taking a look.
Why the wait? If you read this book, I'm sure you'll agree
It is such a moving read so I had to think carefully.

I hate giving spoilers when writing my review
And for this book I especially don't want to do.
It is a story told from two main points of view
And two different times, too.

The earliest is that of Colm O'Flynn,
And shares his thoughts and actions as he's dying.
The other is five years later and the thoughts of his widow who
Has feelings of guilt and is finding it hard to move on, too.

Colm's first wife, Jess, is involved, too
As well as his best friend Dan and his ex-wife, Lulu
As relationships develop and break
Colm's death is proving more than they can take.

However, it isn't a horrendous, guilt filled read.
There's hope, reconciliation and inspirational deeds.
Into all the characters and their secrets, it brings insights
And has some moments of humour to add delights.

If you're looking for an emotive story of coping with grief
Of moving forward, with a sense of hope and relief
Of sharing secrets, and supporting friends, too,
This could be just the book that's just right for you!

I didn’t realise till I had finished reading that this book was actually a follow up book to the characters of Shauna and Colm written about in The story of our life but the talent in Shari Low’s writing is that you always feel such an affection towards the characters that she writes about that you feel you have known them forever.

This particular story really does take you on an emotional rollercoaster. I was crying with laughter, tears and happiness and sometimes all three at once.

A wonderful book that explores friendship, love and loss and is an absolute joy to read.

This book is a poignant look at how we can be haunted by our past. Colm has died and too many ends have been left unfinished. His friends and family are in turmoil. what is not in doubt is that he was much loved. I found this hard it read in that I found it so sad, but you could not fail to be moved by the intelligent, empathetic writing. If only there was some way that Colm could communicate with his circle of family and friends from beyond the grave…….

You really would have to be a block of concrete not to be moved by this book – but make sure you have your tissues at the ready.

I wanted to like this but I didn't. I gave up & dnf'd it. I thought from the blurb it would be right up my street but I don't really think the blurb matches the content.

Shari Low is one author I have only recently discovered and boy, am I glad I did! She always brings an excellently written, entertaining and enthralling story...now to see if she has managed to do the same yet again!
I can say that this emotive and gripping read fulfilled my expectations from a Shari Low book and more. A dual timeline story told from the time Colm was diagnosed and the ensuing events from there. The second timeline is told in the present day. This is where Shari Low's finely honed writing skills are showcased as she weaves the story through these two timelines and creates one that flows perfectly. As I always find with books from this author I felt like I was with them and part of the story.
I will say that this is a very emotional as well as being an uplifting story too. We deal with Colm’s illness and passing away too. I felt like my own heart was breaking reading this, as my mum was diagnosed with cancer but is still here, for now. This just brought all the feelings I experienced through my mum's diagnosis flooding back. I was so wrapped up in this story I lost track of everything external to my reading.
Shari Low has again outdone herself with this story. I am so happy that I was invited and took the offer up to take part in her books journey. A very highly recommended book.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the copy of the book.

I absolutely adore Shari Low books and this has gone to the top of the pile of favourites. I’m not sure I can coherently express how much I adore this book.

This has definitely given me PS I Love You feels, however I have found this more relatable and as a result I have devoured page after page in just one sitting.

This is a book that has made me have tears stream down my cheeks. It is the most beautiful and emotional read I’ve come across in a while.

This is a beautifully written and well constructed plot, with Shari Low reminding us why she is so popular in women’s fiction.

I can say nothing negative about this book. This is a great read and one I highly recommend.

Wow! I just finished reading "The Story of Our Secrets" in one day. I couldn't put it down!

Grief compels us to do stupid things, but friends make all the difference. And this circle of friends, a self-made family, all coming to terms with the loss of Colm has so much to process. The depth of these characters and the struggles they are wrestling with is very powerful.

Even years later, his passing is still a shadow that hangs over all of them. Yet, just as it seems they're all falling apart, Colm reminds them of why they're a family to begin with.

Such a powerful story! Filled with human frailties, insecurities and misunderstandings... Yet I kept finding myself hoping they would all find their way back to one another in the end.

Thank you so much to Shari Low, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a review copy. I truly enjoyed it.

“Everyone our age has fucked up at some time, they’ve done things they regret, they’ve made wrong moves and bad decisions. We’re too old for fairytales.”

Wow. I’m not sure how any review I write will do this book justice. I think I’ll start by saying that this book has made it into my top 5 of 2021, which is a huge feat after over 200 books and some incredible reads and authors. It is an absolutely stunning and heart-wrenching read from cover to cover.

Firstly, let’s discuss the characters. They are wonderfully drawn and I felt like they were people you could come across in real life. They all had their flaws, secrets, mistakes and limitations that they were dealing with, but this ensured that they were complex characters that I was absolutely fully invested in. I got completely lost in the story of their lives.

There is a beautiful and delicate balance of humour and emotion. It is an emotional journey which I will not forget in a hurry, that covers issues such as relationships, death, friendship and blended families. However, humour is carefully peppered through the book and I love the kind of humour Shari writes. It is soft, sarcastic, dry, the kind of humour we all need in our lives and the kind we see every day. It adds to the realism of the book.

This has been an absolutely stunning exploration of coping with grief and making the most of opportunities that bring you happiness. It is the type of epic book that helps you re-evaluate your life and appreciate what you have. It has had a huge emotional impact on me and I won’t forget it. I would recommend this book to fans of One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot and P.S. I Love You.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
The group of friends in this book are interesting; they are very close and all of them have been affected by the death of their friend, albeit in different ways. The story is interspersed with details of Colm preparing his messages for his wife and friends prior to his death.
I thought the characters' behaviour was juvenile at times, and the strong language was used so frequently that it spoilt my reading. I didn't find the book as touching as 'PS I love you' which is referenced a couple of times in the story. It reached barely average for me but I think many younger readers who enjoy this genre are likely to enjoy it so I have given it 3 stars rather than 2.

Shauna O’Flynn is still grieving the loss of her husband Colm five years after he lost his battle with cancer. She keeps her head up every day for the sake of their daughter Beth, but Shauna still misses Colm terribly and has been unable to pick up the pieces and move on. Colm’s lifelong best friend, Dan, is reeling from the sudden breakup of his 20 year marriage to Lulu and Lulu’s whirlwind marriage to another man. Colm’s ex-wife, Jess is now one of Shauna’s best friends, and has just started a new career as a life coach. Jess decides that she will take on Shauna and Dan as her first life coach clients. As Jess prods them each week, Shauna and Dan begin to face their grief. Over time the relationships begin to crumble and break down between the friends until Shauna discovers video messages left behind by Colm that change everything.

Shari Low has crafted a wonderful story about loss, grief and the importance of friends and family through our life journey. This book made me laugh, cringe and cry in all the best possible ways. Lulu and Jess are the queens of witty comebacks, and I could only dream of being as quick witted as these two in real life. Shauna, Dan and Colm are kindhearted people with perfect imperfections. Reading this book, I felt as though I was part of this sweet friend circle and I was sad when the story came to a close. I highly recommend this heart-felt novel about love, loss and picking up the pieces.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Favorite Quotes:

Since the day I met her, almost twenty years ago, she’d never varied from a size ten. That’s what daily yoga and a 5K run every morning did for you. I was a size fourteen. That’s what twenty years of talking about taking up yoga and running but not actually doing it did for you.

I’m forty-five and still have the urge to hide when my mother is around. But then, my mother, Saint Debbie of the Eternal Disapproval, has that effect on most people.

‘Gran, when did you take up line dancing?’ ‘When I got bored rigid at Pilates. There’s no point to it at all. I fell asleep last time I was there, and some strange and very flexible gentleman with his hair in a bun wasn’t best pleased.’

‘Honest to God, I don’t think he’s mine,’ she’d say about my dad, her Glasgow accent even thicker when she was riled. ‘The wean that shot out of my vagina was a lovely wee thing. There’s no way he grew up to be that gutless oaf. And don’t get me started on her. Cold, feckless tart. They deserve each other, they really do.’

My Review:

I adore Shari Low, her stories are riotously comical yet perceptively insightful. Her style is poignant and full feels yet cleverly amusing with smirk-worthy and irreverent humor. I am as enamored with her keen wit as her agile and evocative storytelling. Her latest tale was written with a dual POV and laced with deeply flawed yet irresistibly beguiling characters living intertwined lives filled with emotive inner musings, cheeky levity, family drama, grief, adultery, and snarky repartee. It was heart-squeezing, cringe-worthy, and as delightfully amusing as it was immersive. I definitely need more of this in my life.

I have read and reviewed several of Shari Low's novels on my blog over the years and was very eager to get started on The Story of Our Secrets, although I am running way behind! Colm O'Flynn died of a brain tumor in 2016 leaving behind his wife Shauna, their young daughter, and two older sons from his previous marriage. Also in his close circle were his ex-wife Jess, his best friend Dan, and Dan's wife (and Shauna's best friend), Lulu. Fast forward to 2021 and we learn where everyone is in their lives now that Colm is gone. Told in alternating POVs by Colm and Shauna, we discover all of the things Colm wanted to say before dying and all the ways his close-knit group has or hasn't moved forward since his death.

This is a tough one to review because I'm not sure if I want to give this 3 or 4 stars. I liked Shauna and her sense of humor, I liked Jess and the bond that she and Shauna shared, and Dan was just o.k. But tolerating the selfish and immature Lulu for the duration of this book was painful. Not just a little painful, but as in - it took me 3 weeks to read a book that would have normally taken me 3-4 hours. But the real biggie here is that I realized about halfway through that I had read this. Then thought that was impossible since it was just published. Eventually, I figured out that I had read The Story of Our Life, which is all about Colm, Shauna, and the rest of the crew. However, the only new information was the end of two marriages and some secrets.

So, why did I finish it? Honestly, because I love Shari Low and feel it completely inappropriate to DNF one of her novels. Also, I wanted to see if Shauna would ever move on with her life. I'm glad that I finished it because there were two very happy endings and also just because so much of the dialogue on Shauna's part was very witty. But unfortunately, this is my least favorite book from this author, ever.

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hello and welcome to Tangents and Tissues pre-reading safety guide for The Story of Our Secrets by Shari Low. Thank you for joining me today. Are you comfy? *claps hands* Let’s begin…

Please keep the seatbelts provided fastened at all times as you ride this emotional rollercoaster of a read.

Tissues, if required (aye right!), should be located to your left and right with extra supplies under your seat. *whispers and points* I also find tucking a couple up my sleeve and/or in my bra for ease of use very handy. Never fear if you run out, just holla and emergency tissues can be delivered asap.

Refreshments are a must but beware of scalding from hot drinks when you encounter a WTF? scene and/or spontaneous bouts of belly laughter. No one needs to explain where that blister came from *snorts*.

Emotional eating is a common side-effect of reading Shari Low books (I know from personal experience!) so wear your elasticated pants for extra space. Side note: neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for the movement on your scales!

For emergency purposes only:

• It is advisable to have a drinky-drink *winks* on hand. Totally for restorative purposes only, you understand. Just for those ‘gird your loins’ moments. You know the sort I mean!
• Your nominated hug person for those ‘I need a hug’ moments.

Also, before we go, I’m taking names for my own Sad Git’s Recovery Club. Remember and leave your details before you leave.

Right, are you ready? Well, as ready as you’ll ever be…

You’ve got this!

See you on the other side.

I don’t call Shari Low the Queen of Storytelling for nothing.

Hmm, now where did I stick those cucumber slices? These eyes won’t de-puff themselves…

Wow! I think every Shari Low review I write should start with “Wow!”. Shari has done it again! Shari is simply a brilliant storyteller always introducing the reader to an amazing cast of characters. Whenever I read a Shari Low story I get completely absorbed in the lives of the characters and swallow the book in just a couple of days and desperately want to tell others about the characters as if they are my friends and I just need to share what happened to them. That’s how much her books affect me and this book was no different.

A sad, but touching story along the lines of Cecelia Ahern’s “PS I Love You “, which is even mentioned in the book, but with a much bigger cast consisting of great characters each with their own little story too. Just like PS I Love You, I think this would make an amazing movie!

The Story of Our Secrets by Shari Low
Shari Low takes you on a journey through grief, not shying away from the messy realities of death and life itself. No character was perfect in this story, they each had their frailties which made them entirely human. Yet the story had an overriding sense of warmth and optimism despite the tragic circumstances. I could not fail to empathise with Shauna, trying to bravely carry on with her life despite the hole that Colm had left.

I was also drawn to her friends which came across as family, albeit a dysfunctional one. All of their personalities shone through. The book had wonderful characterisation that came off the page and found its way into my heart. I thought that the story flickered between Colm’s viewpoint and his widow Shauna’s with sensitivity and realism. Witty at times and heart-breaking at others, overall, a powerful story of love, life and death. With thanks to Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley for this ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.