The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky
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Book Reviews of The Secret Between Us
Book Review: Excellent !!
Summary: 5 Stars
The book was in PERFECT condition and the shipping was VERY FAST!!!! I would recommend them to anyone.Book Review: the secret between us
Summary: 5 Stars
another great book from barbara delinsky. I read everything she writes. way to go.Book Review: A novel that this reviewer will not soon forget
Summary: 4 Stars
Barbara Delinsky writes with an intimate knowledge of relationships and family to create yet another powerful and emotionally-packed story. The opening scene of THE SECRET BETWEEN US begins as physician Deborah Monroe has picked up her 16-year-old daughter Grace from a party. Despite the rainy weather, Deborah has Grace drive them to their house. Grace is practicing her driving skills, and mother and daughter are arguing. The rain makes the visibility difficult, and neither of them is prepared when the car hits what turns out to be a man. Deborah tells Grace to go home and stay with her brother, and calls 911.
When the police and ambulance arrive, Deborah is the only one there to answer the questions about the accident. So the assumption is made that she was driving the car. This sin of omission begins the lie that she will have to explain to her daughter and creates a moral dilemma for Deborah. The investigation proceeds with Deborah as the person behind the wheel.
Grace feels so ashamed that she was driving the vehicle and that her mother is taking the rap for what transpired. She is a star in high school academically and a member of the track team, but unfortunately her life begins to fall apart. Everyone seems to understand that Grace is having difficulty, which makes her guilt feelings an even bigger burden for her to bear. She is keeping the secret but at a huge cost to herself and her friendships. Who can she tell what really happened without creating more problems?
Deborah is juggling much of her life. Divorced now, Deborah works with her father, who has been a physician to three generations in their town. He is drinking too much after the death of his wife, which complicates their relationship. And to top it off, Deborah's sister announces that she is pregnant and not married. She runs a marvelous bakery, but their father has yet to visit the establishment or even have a bite of the delicious pastries her sister makes. Their estrangement puts Deborah in the middle of an impossible situation. And now Deborah is harboring secrets with her daughter.
To make matters worse, the victim, Cal McKenna, dies. The family's standing in the community comes into question, and the widow decides to sue Deborah. Cal's brother, Tom, discovers information about Cal that leads to more questions about his life and untimely death. As Deborah copes with the aftermath of the accident, the lawsuit and her lie, she gains new insights about herself and her family.
Barbara Delinsky's writing depicts the themes of responsibility, family expectations and intent in this well-portrayed cast of characters. The dialogue between parent and child through the various generations makes THE SECRET BETWEEN US a novel that this reviewer will not soon forget.
--- Reviewed by Jennifer McCord
Book Review: "Expectations are a powerful motivational tool"
Summary: 4 Stars
The Secret Between Us, a novel by Barbara Delinsky, defines "a fast read." The writing is clearly the effort of a pro and flows from page to page with lots of dialog and little description or prolonged prose. The storytelling is first rate. I was riveted.
The main character, a woman named Deborah, is likeable and believable. She's a divorced mother of two, a small-town doctor. In the opening pages, she and her daughter, Grace, have a terrible accident, when their car hits a pedestrian on a dark, rainy night. The story unfolds from there, when Deborah takes the blame, even though her 15-year-old daughter was behind the wheel. Throughout the police report/investigation, this is the "secret" between them and it causes a myriad of complications. Probably the strongest message coming from these pages is about parent and child relationships, and how expectations can both help and hinder. It certainly made me think about my relevant relationships.
Deborah's sister, Jill, an independent bakery owner and somewhat of family "black sheep," is likeable too. As for most of the other characters, I'm afraid I found them not only unlikable, but also contrived. The selfish ex-husband; the patriarchal--even cruel--father; the loopy, grieving widow; the kind-hearted chief of police; the philandering high-powered attorney and his pathetic wife/best friend of the protagonist; the brother of the accident victim, Tom McKenna, walking the tightrope between both sides of the issue; the accident victim himself, Grace's history teacher at the local high school; the visually impaired younger brother; and especially the teenaged daughter, Grace, all seemed to me like paper cutout dolls, with unsurprising words and actions.
All these characters notwithstanding, the story was compelling, truly outlining how a seemingly normal life can change in an instant. Overall I'd say it was worth the read, reminding me of authors like Anita Shreve and Jodi Picoult.
Michele Cozzens, Author of It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club.
Book Review: Well written... loved it!
Summary: 4 Stars
Like reviewer Ann Mcpherson, I am a Delinsky fan. I have read her for many years and she doesn't disappoint me. She always leaves you thinking of her characters long after you've closed the book.
I thought this novel had a little bit of everything. Great discussion book. Lots of emotion - the scenario a young girl and her mother arguing while driving in the rain, and how in a split second something tragic can happen to change everyone's lives. The characters are likeable and believable, the accident one we can picture easily happening to anyone. The side stories contributed a lot to the enjoyment of the read: the boy with the eye disease/his feelings about playing baseball/his relationship with his dad and grandfather. I enjoyed the sister of the main character with her bakery venture, her choice for single parent pregnancy, and the small town scenario of everyone knowing everyone. The police chief being in the job forever makes the ending plausible, although doubtful in big city real-life.
The only reason I rate this a 4 instead of 5 is because there was one area that I found far-fetched, and that was about the victim in the accident, how he happened to be where he was at the time of the accident. Without giving anything away, I guess Delinsky needed to go that way to give us a satisfactory ending, and she did wrap it up nicely. I also felt it would have added a lot more to the novel to have a bit more character development about the victim and his family. Suffice it to say it didn't make me enjoy the book any less.
If you are in a book club, this is an excellent choice, as there is much to discuss. One thing to address if you are in a club:
1) Would you cover for your child if this happened to you in this way?
2) Is the teen driver here typical of young-girl-driver's today (guilt or relief)?