The Secret of You and Me

By: Melissa Lenhardt

Narrated by: Courtney Patterson, Natalie Duke

Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

True love never fades - and old secrets never die....

Nora hasn’t looked back. Not since she fled Texas to start a new life. Away from her father’s volatile temper and the ever-watchful gaze of her claustrophobically conservative small town, Nora has freed herself. She can live - and love - however she wants. The only problem is that she also left behind the one woman she can’t forget. Now, tragedy calls her back home to confront her past - and reconcile her future.

Sophie seems to have everything - a wonderful daughter, a successful husband and a rewarding career. Yet underneath that perfection lies an explosive secret. She still yearns for Nora - her best friend and first love - despite all the years between them. Keeping her true self hidden hasn’t been easy, but it’s been necessary. So when Sophie finds out that Nora has returned, she hopes Nora’s stay is short. The life she has built depends on it.

But they both find that first love doesn’t fade easily. Memories come to light, passion ignites, and old feelings resurface. As the forces of family and intolerance that once tore them apart begin to reemerge, they realize some things may never change - unless they demand it.

©2020 Melissa Lenhardt (P)2020 Harlequin Audio

Lenhardt again shows superior writing talent

I read this one with my ears (which are still burning a little, to be honest), and Melissa Lenhardt has again shown her superior talent for writing realistic, fully fleshed-out characters and immersive dialogue. She nails small-town Texas and the ridiculous, ubiquitous hypocrisies that abound there regarding gender roles, propriety, and same-sex relationships.

“I was tired of lying. But not tired enough yet.”

The Secret of You and Me is heavy on dialogue, but having two narrators made me feel like I was right there, a fly on the wall. The two audio book narrators did an outstanding job of portraying the main characters Nora (appropriately pissy) and Sophie and all the supporting characters (oh, the syrupy Southern sarcasm), and both narrators embraced and voiced the often emotional scenes to perfection. Readers will get immersed in the story and will feel like these are people they know; they will care about them and will be concerned and angry and run through the full gamut of emotions, right there with the characters. Again, the mark of excellence in writing.

Many of the characters talk about love, but there's a whole lot of cheating going on, and it was troubling to me that the cost and consequences weren't given much consideration. The attitude is probably very realistic, but troubling nonetheless. And where there were some elements of romance, I wouldn't call The Secret of You and Me a romance – not in the traditional sense, anyhow. What readers get more of is lust and pent-up passion after years of it being denied. I need more convincing that what Nora and Sophie have is really a deep-seated, real love, especially given they really don't even know each other any more. (I certainly was not the same person with the same values at 36 as I was at 18.) But I am left thinking about them long after the book was finished, and I hope they get their happily ever after.

About those ears burning -- I realized in listening to this book that I am a lot more comfortable reading profanity than hearing it (and having anyone else who came in and out of my office hearing it, too). There is quite a bit in the book, and though all was probably authentic to characters and situations, I don't love it. Plus some of the scenes get steamy, and it was embarrassing to have those scenes for all to hear. (I'm old and maybe more of a prude than I thought!) For the most part, the characters really frustrate me, and quite honestly, listening to their drama stressed me out. (Seriously, it's that realistic.) Todd, Sophie's counselor, has it right – it’s a soap opera. For all those reasons, I really think I would have preferred to read the book in print because listening was too real.

I recommend the book for those who enjoy second chance stories with a realistic and non-traditional spin on romance and who embrace that love is love.

Couldn’t stop listening!! A must read!

A well beautifully written story that has you constantly wanting more and the details have you feeling as if your right there with them in the story!!

Love this book

This book restores the faith in long lasting love. Loved the narration, both of the narrators were excellent.

Complex and empathetic treatment of believable characters

I found myself drawn into the circumstances by which two strong women with tender souls are driven apart by the hypocrisy rooted in the male dominant and religiously repressed town in which they lived.
I hope Ms. Lenhardt continues to explore this topic with more strong female characters and teams up with the talented duo of narrators she employed in the fine novel.

Meh!

The book is ok. A lot of drama. The narrators are good. Not my favorite book but i enjoyed the listening

Love, Love, Loved This!

This was a brilliantly, beautifully told story that I literally binge-listened to. It painted such an accurate picture of small town conservative attitudes that drove two ladies who loved each other, and the challenges they faced. This was my second listen and it won’t be my last!

Absolutely loved it!

A wonderful story that kept me listening every spare moment that I had. It felt very authentic and is really well-written.

Intense Humorous Fun

I wholeheartedly recommend this one. The writing I found to be thought provoking and mature. Raw emotions handled with care and honestly. I really enjoyed the journey and payoff ending.

Raw and authentic!

This story was thoroughly told! The raw emotions. The hard truths. The intimate love. The long years past. The exciting present. The looking forward to the future. The boldness, happiness. fearlessness,hurt, control, pain, gossip, addictions, PTSD. The connection. All these ingredients to formulate what is a 5 star approval. Bravo!

Loved it!!

It started a little slow for me with a lot of talk about the past, which the reader knew nothing about. But once you fully understood what was happening I couldn’t put it down. Great narration and a wonderful story.