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Wednesday, May 2, 2018

REVIEW: Every Single Secret by Emily Carpenter @emilydcarpenter @LUAuthors @amazonpub

Every Single Secret
by Emily Carpenter

Thanks so much to Lake Union and Amazon Publishing for this gorgeous copy!
I fell in love with Carpenter when I finally read Weight of Lies just a few days ago and so was very eager to dive right into her latest, Every Single Secret.

Continue below for the synopsis and my full review!


Publisher:  Lake Union / Amazon Publishing
Publish Date:  May 1, 2018
Paperback
316 pages
Standalone
Genres:  Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Goodreads Synopsis:

Emotionally guarded Daphne Amos always believed she’d found a kindred spirit in her fiancé, Heath. Both very private people, they’ve kept their pasts hidden from the world, and each other, until Heath’s escalating nightmares begin to put an undeniable strain on their relationship. Determined to give their impending marriage the best chance of succeeding, Heath insists that Daphne join him on a seven-day retreat with Dr. Matthew Cerny, a psychologist celebrated for getting to the root of repressed memories. Daphne reluctantly agrees—even though the past is the last place she wants to go.

The retreat’s isolated and forbidding location increases her unease, as do the doctor’s rules: they must relinquish their keys and phones, they’ll be monitored at all hours by hidden cameras, and they’re never to socialize with the other guests.

One sleepless night, Daphne decides to leave her room…and only then does she realize that the institute is not at all what it seems—and that whatever’s crying out from Heath’s past isn’t meant to be heard. It’s meant to be silenced.

My Review:


Ok, so I realize I'm a bit late to the Emily Carpenter train, but my pass is still good.... right?!  I waited WAY too long to read Weight of Lies when I received it last year and I'll forever kick myself for that.  I learned my lesson and dove right into this one as soon as I could.  Carpenter appears to be the queen of that Southern Gothic atmospheric, big ass Victorian mansion isolated in the middle of nowhere kind of reads!  And that's where the similarities end between both books.

This one starts off interestingly enough with Daphne and her fiance Heath and their understanding of each other's wish to leave the past in the past and just concentrate on their present and future.  Then he asks the unexpected and takes her to a week long couples counseling retreat where, astonishingly enough, she doesn't even have to participate.  Wait, WHAT?  Thus begins the weird rules and mysterious atmosphere.

I'll be honest, this read ran a bit slow for me in certain areas and I thought for sure this was going to be all about Daphne, Daphne, Daphne!  Then Carpenter brings in a head slapper and rocked my world.  I certainly was NOT expecting that AT ALL.  This book runs from past to present and there were a couple of times I had to flip back to make sure I knew exactly where in the story I was because I was beginning to think Daphne was just plain off her rocker.  Once we dig into her past and then into Heath's... well, that's what gets my full attention.  I'm also a HUGE fan of the subject matter that you find out about towards the end of the book - I don't want to say too much as I hate spoilers about as much as I do mushrooms so.... 

Don't let what may seem like a slow read deter you.  The ending is where this book shines and where you get glued to the pages.  GLUED.  

I mean, who are we without out secrets... right? 😉

★★★★★

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