Secrets That Bind Us

By: Ruby Darling

Narrated by: Andi Eloise, Caden Hart

After losing her husband and mother within a span of two years, Verity C. Huntington, a #1 international best-selling romance author, trying to figure out life as a single mother has now been tasked to be her best friend’s Maid of Honor and the wedding will be held in none other than the small town she swore she would never return to and has stayed away from for the last 13 years - Adelaide, Texas.

On a whim, Verity decides to pack up her kids, flip the home and the barn, sell them- and her memories of Adelaide - for good. But her plans hit a snag when Dean Carson- her first love and now Adelaide’s sheriff- reenters her life, determined to have her fall in love with him once more.

But he’s not the only thing making her heart race.

The longer she stays in her mother’s house, things begin to go bump in the night, shadows crawl, dark secrets resurface, and stranger things are playing tricks. With her heart and her sanity on the line, she must confront the dark truths hidden in Adelaide’s shadows. Can she escape unscathed once again, or is something far more sinister lurking in a quiet Texas town?

©2025 Ruby Darling (P)2025 Blue Nose Publishing

An Intense & Wild Ride! Incredible Story & Listen!

Wow, just wow, this book just blew me away, a story that lures you in right from the start, taking hold of your attention where nothing else around you matters except what is going to happen next in the book. It is best to go in not knowing anything, so avoid spoilers, enjoy the intense and wild ride in the moment and watch it all unfold. I loved the originality and complexity of the story and the characters, the unique telling of the story, alternating timelines, giving glimpses of the past and what brought them to where they are in the present. Verity C. Huntington could not get out of Adelaide, Texas fast enough, finished H.S. early and even her own mother supported her decision knowing the place was bad for her. She returns years later after her mother’s passing, with plans to renovate the old farmhouse, a house that is haunted with ghosts and terrible memories. Her friend wants to hold her wedding there, the place she met her fiancé, and Verity plans on selling it after. Then there was Dean Carson, the boy she loved, but she had to follow her big city dreams, hoping he’d follow, which did not happen. Dean is now a man, and the town’s Sheriff, and he never stopped loving Verity, and it may not have been their time in the past, he knew it was their time now. The chemistry between Verity and Dean was smoking hot, and I enjoyed watching them reconnect, as well as seeing their past relationship grow and build. Ruby M. Darling weaves a complex and mighty fine web around these characters, creating a multilayered story, and it was great watching it all unfold and seeing all the pieces fall into place. Besides Dean and Verity, there are some great side/secondary characters, too, including Verity’s two kids, Savannah and Noah, who stole several scenes. There is never a dull moment in this book, with non-stop drama, angst, twists and turns, thrilling and suspenseful moments that give you the chills, heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. The writing, plot and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. Ruby M. Darling, thank you for this amazing story and the intense and wild emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 Andi Eloise and Caden Hart delivered an incredible performance, giving each character a voice that was fitting for a perfect portrayal of each. I loved how they took each role and made it their own, sounding believable and just as I imagined the characters to sound, young and old. Eloise nailed it as Verity, grasping all sides of her personality, from her insecurities to her strength, determination and fierceness. Hart did the same as Dean and was just as amazing at showcasing his personality, from his angst to his protective side. Both were fantastic at performing the roles of the side and secondary characters too. You could hear how much heart they put into their performance as they conveyed all the characters’ emotions, making you feel each one. These two entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to, and their captivating performance rivets you to the story

Dean… where have you been all my life

Dean. That’s it. That’s all there is to say, Dean has stolen my ❤️. I typically don’t love flashback books, but I loved this one because they all had Dean.

We need more books with Caden! He stole the show.

Dean and Verity’s relationship was the heart of this book for me!

I loved everything about Secrets That Bind Us, but Dean and Verity were what made it special. Their history, chemistry, and the complicated emotions between them made their connection feel like so much more than attraction. It was all those years and feelings tangled together—the love, the hurt, and everything left unresolved—that had me so invested in them finding their way back to each other.

The secrets, suspense, and unsettling moments added so much to the story, but I kept coming back to these two. I cared about what happened between them just as much as I wanted answers to the mystery. Neither part felt like background to the other.

Ruby M. Darling gave me a romance I could get emotionally wrapped up in and a story that kept me guessing. I loved the whole ride, but Dean and Verity are what I’ll remember most. 🌻

This is the small town romance I’ve been looking for!

This was hot and steamy! A small town second chance romance where not everything is as it seems. I loved the duel timeline that allowed us a view into the past that gave us a sense of where they started, what went wrong, and how they came back to each other. This had just enough mystery and thrill to keep it interesting and unique compared ti others in the same genre. Again, if Ruby writes it, I’m reading it!

Love love love

I absolutely loved this book and Dean Carson. Some of the twist I called early and some completely blind sided me. Caden was phenomenal and Andi was fantastic! Don’t sleep on this one