The Truth and Other Hidden Things

A Novel

By: Lea Geller

Narrated by: Andi Arndt

Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

A freshly funny and heartfelt novel about one woman’s secret life, the stories she tells, and the thrill and notoriety of being noticed.

On the same day Bells Walker learns that her IUD has failed, her husband Harry is denied tenure at his Manhattan university. So Bells, Harry, their two adolescent children, and her baby bump move to New York’s Hudson Valley, where Harry has landed a job at Dutchess College in the town of Pigkill.

When the farm-to-table utopia Bells envisioned is anything but, she turns to the blogosphere. Under the pen name the County Dutchess, she anonymously dishes about life in Pigkill, detailing the activities of hypercompetitive parents and kombucha-drinking hipsters. Suddenly, Bells has a place to say all the things she’s been secretly thinking about being a wife and mother. As Bells turns the focus of her blog on her new neighbors, her readership continues to grow, but her scandalous posts hit closer to home: she puts Harry’s new job in jeopardy, derails her children’s lives, and risks the one real friendship she’s built.

When Bells uncovers scandals right under her nose, the Dutchess goes viral, and soon everyone is asking, Who is the County Dutchess? Now Bells has to ask herself if it’s worth losing the people closest to her to finally feel noticed by everyone else.

©2021 by Lea Geller. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Enjoyable

I needed a fun read. This did the trick.
The narrator did a very good job.

Perfect reflection on life.

Lightness and airy essence. Enjoyed this author and narration. I liked how real the author was about life, joy and disappointment.

Funny, smart, and heart-warming!

I’m a big fan of Lea Geller’s books—she has such a sharp way of seeing the ridiculous yet redeeming side of people. The narration really enhanced this book too—it kept the story light, humorous, and ultimately helped deliver on a message that certainly warmed my heart!

A must for every mom

If you have ever sent your kids to school with a lunch picked up from a gas station this book is for you! It was a great listen. Not deep, but totally real!

Not great

I really liked the performance but the story was so so. I didn’t love the main character and felt the story fell short. It’s fine and not a complete waste of time but I have definitely enjoyed other books more.

Good Story

This a good listen, it shows all the messy parts of life. No matter how good someone's life looks from the outside you never know what people are really going through.

Just okay

It's difficult for me to rate this book because I couldn't stand the main character. She struck me as whiny, self-centered, and less mature than her teenage kids. The storyline proceeded at a slow pace, and I did crank up the speed at about the half-way mark to finish it quicker.

interesting concept

interesting concept. Good solid story line, interesting, but not deep character development. I'd call it light summer reading/listening.

Familiar story references

This was an easy listen and decent enough story line. It's worth listening to.

A Letdown

I forced myself to finish this book.
The storyline had much potential. The characters were completely unsympathetic and irritating. I would pass.