Review: Different but still so good
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 24, 2012
This book delivers what I've come to expect from Nia, i.e. subtle intimacy. She maintains the intimacy by incorporating mundane (but not boring) everyday activities and conversations so the story has a natural, realistic, and organic progression. You get the sense that the characters kinda write/ reveal themselves - there's just no forcing or sense of an agenda to get a point across. There's no rush, no "instant attraction between a gazillionare and an ingenue and then they have a dispute and then a HEA and then the end" that is so popular right now. Nope, just a story that seduces you, pulls you in so you want to be alert to what's going on, not missing any little clue or hint. It takes you on a journey where you feel like you know these people and are witnessing their relationship unfold right in front of you. You also get to take a peek into what the man and the woman are thinking by getting into the psyche of the characters. The actions and interactions make sense - the drama is not gratuitous or contrived to sell a story.This book also introduces heavy subjects such as domestic abuse and unplanned pregnancies. And as usual with Nia's books, the title is more than about one single secret. Its about secret(S), the deep traumatic events in the main characters pasts that are too emotionally raw for them to share with each other, the present secrets such as the unplanned pregnancy, and also about the nature of their current relationship and the dynamic it plays as they keep it a secret from everyone else around them. She doesn't reveal the secrets with a bang for a "shock and awe" effect.You can tell by how Nia delves into the domestic abuse issue that she really studied and researched it and understood it. So yeah, the book is very somber, but so revelatory - not formulaic at all. This is a novel that makes you think long after you finish reading it. Nia's writing is like a savory, rich treat, which reminds me of this French bakery near my work that I'm addicted to. The pastries are as you'd expect - decadent, rich, satisfying, the sweetness subtle and not overwhelming. Its about the flavors and how you can taste each one and how they mingle and blend together. That's how Nia's writing is - natural, satisfying, and rich - yet not too deep or disturbing. Just enough to leave no stone unturned.  You get the sense that she doesn't want to give you a sugar rush, but rather, to entertain you even as she educates and gives you information. So this is the kind of book where you spare a few hours and maybe even ignore a few phone calls - coz you want to read it in one seating.And oh, there are moments of lightness too, such as the hero and heroine both dealing with insomnia, and funny cute moments like the incident with Shayla's hair. I loved Trey's maturity and gentleness and laughed at how he handled his growing feelings for Shayla. I loved Shayla's courage and her willingness to move beyond the shadows of the past and her journey to blossom and basically be herself again.