According to the Oxford Dictionary a SECRET is something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others. And this book is like no other...

From best-selling Australian author Rachael Johns comes an explosive new read, The Art Of Keeping Secrets.

Stepping away from her rural romance novels for a little while, Johns The Art Of Keeping Secrets is a highly addictive and explosive read that is bound to have avid romance and contemporary fiction readers riveted from the very first to last page!

Bursting at the seems with secrets that range from little white lies to those that threaten and undermine you very existence, The Art Of Keeping Secrets was an astounding read that left me reeling in the best possible way. The pacing and tension of the novel is spot on, so much so that I'm actually a little bit in awe of the way Johns was able to continually up the ante with each secrets revelation and timing. There was not one second where this book lagged, in fact all in all it's pretty damn fast paced with so much happening in a very true to life style.

As I've come to expect from Johns' previous books, the characters were an array of eccentric personalities, character flaws and hearts of gold that felt not only alive on the page, but honest and very real. The emotions these characters evoked in me as a reader sent me on a roller-coaster of a ride as I laughed, loved, was confused and hurt by, felt despair, loss and fear alongside and found hope with them. They incited just about every emotion known to man kind, and they were 'just' fictional; just words on a page. If that doesn't tell you about the power of words and Johns' extraordinary craftsmanship, I don't know what can.

Given the nature of the book, I can't really talk much about the plot (or it's characters really) in great detail without the fear of spoilers, but what I can tell you is that this a book that needs to be read,as it's a narrative you will want to experience for yourself. What I will say however is that The Art Of Keeping Secrets is an extraordinary book about secrets both big and small that we tell ourselves and others almost every day and how those consequences can haunt us for life. It's about family, relationships, love, marriage, one's health and well being both mentally, physically and emotionally. Most importantly though it is a story about three women and their families, about finding themselves in a world more unexpected then known, and what it means to be comfortable and at ease with oneself. It deals with everything from trivial matters to earth-shattering truths and is a book with one hell of a mighty heart.

With the cat now out of the bag, I think it's safe to say that this new book from Rachael Johns will NOT stay secret for long, nor does it deserve too! After all, it's not every day a book comes along that will shake you to your core and have you re-evaluate your own decisions and lives, and make you feel thankful for the people in your own life. I highly recommend this novel to everyone young and old and can't wait to see what the future holds for this extremely talented and versatile author.

This review was originally posted over at The Never Ending Bookshelf on October 20, 2016 and can be found here: http://wp.me/p3yY1u-14O