Beautifully written and engrossing, but tragic in what Rani did, and what came of her.

This is my first book by this author, and it was a decent one to choose, even though it inevitably veered towards lots of sadness close to the end - which was apparent early on from events in Esme's part of the tale, told concurrently as Rani's - and yet finished with happiness and hope for Esme.

It's hard to review without spoiling it but Rani was in some ways a woman of our time, and therefore ahead of her time, and her father tried to straddle two worlds but ultimately let her and his wife down because he got greedy for power and title and fell into the old 'what will people say?' Asian mentality (trust me, I've grown up with it). Put it this way, I wouldn't and couldn't have forgiven or forgotten his betrayals.

The book started off, for me, with delight and surprise, then came the 'you can take the boy out of India, but not India out of the boy' part, which really disappointed but which had to be to make the tale the way it was. It made me sad that her father was a fake liberal and a conformist just to be able to rule, stating that she was dead to him - it's an Asian thing that hasn't quite gone away in 2024 with some, sadly, if they're crossed by others asserting their independence, free will, free thought, etc. He reverted to Asian mentality and threats to get his own way, not caring about the impact on his daughter, wife or son.

However, without the above, this tale couldn't be told. It made me sad for William and Andrew, but not for Prasad, who was a typical-in-some-ways Asian male with his blackmail, but also one who'd suffered at Rani's hands - indirectly - and who, it felt, wanted some kind of revenge. Her actions in this part of the tale showed her cowardice and weakness and frankly unforgivable actions. She chose to hurt William, could have lost him his life, damaged Andrew, and ultimately took the coward's way out, instead of confessing and accepting her fate.

Do I regret reading it? No, but I was sad that Rani was as fake as her father, though in a slightly different way. She didn't care about the damage she'd do to her husband, stepson and daughter, or who'd be left to pick up the pieces. She took not a noble way out - though some Asians, including her, might consider it so - but an easy way out, a coward's way out. She was selfish and self-serving, her father's daughter, ultimately. Her intelligence, her free thinking, her conscience, all deserted her, making her not the Rani I'd read about so far.

The book left me feeling more sad than happy, as it's about 75% sadness and unhappiness and 25% could-be happiness. But, I appreciated the craftsmanship, the younger Rani, and the failed tale of trying to straddle two worlds.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for my reading pleasure.

Another beautifully written and utterly captivating story from Renita D'Silva, I loved every single word!

Rani is being raised in Europe, with her father encouraging her to grow into an independent young woman and not to be afraid of speaking her mind. But when his father is taken ill, the family travel back to India, where her father takes up his Royal position and Rani finds her life as a female very restricted, until she is able to travel to England, to Cambridge university and then into a spy role for the forces in WWII. But Rani leaves her first love, Prasad behind, despite the promises they made.

In another timeline, Esme, who was raised by her father and their housekeeper, Mrs Lewes, is grieving her father's passing and turns to the elderly Mrs Lewes to learn more about her past.

As the two stories begin to come together, I found the choices that Rani had to make absolutely heartbreaking - I could literally feel her struggles, through her love for William and gorgeous little Andrew, who she was desperate to protect.

The character development was exemplary, particularly Rani, and it is clear that the author has conducted a huge amount of research, which shines throughout this story,

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Renita D’Silva and Boldwood for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this thriller novel. The pacing was just right. I liked the story and was so full of twists and turns that it had me guessing until the end. I also liked the mix of characters. Overall, a good novel that I would recommend to other readers.
❤️ Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

yet another corker of a book by Renita D'Silva.
have some tissues at hand while you read this latest book full of love and strength at such a difficult time in our history.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion

Sadly this book wasn't for me. I ploughed through to the end but actually wondered what I had gained - answer nothing.

I found the title 'odd' - it does depend what intonation one puts on it - but it didn't fit in my opinion.
From the blurb I expected more about the work done at Bletchley Park and how Rani's skills would be put to use. Other than she was a decoder I have no idea.
This is essentially a love story about a girl and her family and how they feel entitled. This makes Rani seem very shallow somehow.
The book may be well researched but for me it is not so well written - some of the prose is very verbose and flowery. One paragraph made me laugh out loud and it really shouldn't have.
For me the story was slow, unbelievable and protracted.

This book was OK. It didn't turn out to be quite what I was expecting from the description/resume. I thought the book would delve into some of the secrets revealed from the code breaking and that this aspect would take up more of the plot, however there was only one brief mention of anything that had been discovered and even that was vague. I also found some aspects quite repetitive. Rani tells on quite a number of occasions how much she misses her family. All in all its a historical romance and there isn't quite the intrigue hinted at in the book description. I'm not really a great fan of romances so this was a bit of a disappointment for me and I did find it a little slow, and the only action that took place was towards the end of the book. For any fans of a love story, yes it's fine but it wasn't really my thing.

Closing the final chapter with a heart-wrenching sigh, 'The Secret Keeper' is now my favorite book I've read this year. Historical fiction fans will be swept away by a novel filled with secrets that readers will be on the edge of their seats waiting to be revealed.

Rani, daughter of an Indian prince grew up in Europe before World War II. Her father taught Rani to speak her mind and stand up for convictions. Having relinquished his royal title, Rani was shocked to have her father move the family to India due to the king's illness, Upon arriving, Rani's world shattered and she was forced to cover her face and the women were locked away in an isolated existence. Fearing that she lost her father to his privileged world, Rani takes drastic action to reunite her family.

Get ready for a book filled with bravery, codebreaking in London, espionage and falling victim to young ideals. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheSecretKeeper in exchange for an honest review. I was excited to read Renita D'Silva's latest novel after discovering her 'Orphan's Gift.' First time readers, you'll fall in love with the author charismatic characters, poignant prose and traveling back in time while the author masterfully pens dual-linear timelines that seamlessly overlap.

Wow, what a read. It captures you from the beginning, detailing how Rani causes her family upset by choosing a man not of their class. Rani decides that she will hatch a plan to make Prasad look good in her father’s eyes and then invites him to the palace. This backfires drastically with Rani being sent to Cambridge and causes family friction. From Cambridge Rani is recommended for Bletchley Park due to her ability with languages and Chess!
Working as a cryptographer she is awed at the quick minds of her colleagues and is surrounded by secrets regarding the war. How will Rani balance work, love and family.
Meanwhile Esme is finding relationships with her son Robbie and brother Andy difficult. This causes her to look out Dr Sally Coates to see if she can offer any suggestions to ease her sleepless nights first. Where else will this lead.
The characters all have secrets, whether they are their own or their loved ones, it’s the unearthing of them that makes for such interesting reading. There are some wonderful twists and turns along the way, some will bring tears.
Its is a captivating read.

Two seemingly unconnected stories keep you guessing until in a masterstroke of storytelling they connect with a single word. Atmospheric and engaging, this new book from Renita D'Silva takes us from the heat of India to the chilly winter of wartime Bletchley Park, both places of secrets.

I particularly liked the development of the lead character, Rani as revealed in her letters, an independent woman trying to do her best for all around her in a complicated world.

Well researched and authentic, this book races towards the inevitable, chilling conclusion, yet is lifted by unexpected redemption,. Recommended.

Tony Riches

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a story about secrets and passions, and is ultimately very moving. When a teenage Rani returns to India in 1938, she finds the restrictions on her life very difficult. She meets Prasad, and makes some bad choices. She is sent to England , gets a degree and ends up at Bletchley Park. Her new life and husband are going well until Prasad reappears in her life. Facing difficult choices, Rani does something she will regret. There is also the POV of Rani's daughter, Esme, who knew nothing about her mother. All in all a captivating book about choices and love, that held my attention and had me wondering what I would have done in a similar situation. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy to freely review.

Ensure that you have a steaming cup of cocoa, perhaps some complementary mint ice-cream and a box of tissues at hand before you dive into this gorgeous book!

I have been so blessed with so many great books lately, this one included! It was so good! Pick this one up readers!