Will you judge me if I tell you I had never read a novella until yesterday? Matter of fact, when I first saw Secret Love, by Christine Warner, I didn't even know that's what it was. Then I started reading and was like, what? Only 69 pages? Won't I feel cheated? And voila: just an hour or so later, I'm a now a big fan of novellas in general and Christine Warner in particular.
Book: Secret Love
Author: Christine Warner
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sweet Romance
Rating: [ [ [ [ [ (5 out of 5 hearts!)
.jpg)
About the Book:
Saranac, Michigan
March 1955
March 1955
Lizzie Tarleton has always done things her own way—including the time at the tender age of thirteen when she confessed to her brother’s best friend she loved him. But now she’s a new teacher at the local high school, and independent enough to know that you can’t force love. She’ll find love when the time is right—even though her parents are adamant the time is now. The only downfall to her idyllic life is the fact that her childhood crush—who broke her heart—is now her boss. If only she could stop daydreaming about him.
Wayne Whitmore grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and worked hard to get where he’s at in life. Even though he enjoys being principal at the small town high school, he dreams of coaching baseball. When his best friend asks him to watch over his little sister at her new job at Wayne’s school, he agrees. What he doesn’t count on is how she’s grown from the pig tailed kid who told him she loved him, to the woman who breaks his concentration with her beauty and smile. Unable to get over his fascination, and afraid he’ll ruin his friend’s trust, Wayne applies for his dream job—one that will take him far away.
One night while decorating the school gymnasium for an upcoming sock hop, Lizzie and Wayne find themselves alone. They share a kiss and Lizzie realizes her childhood crush for Wayne has never died. Wayne decides he doesn’t want to let Lizzie get away.
Can they come to terms with their secret love and then overcome the other secrets they are hiding in order to get what they each want? Or is their timing for love still off?
My Thoughts:
In the spirit of novellas and the abbreviated slices of fiction they offer, I'll try to rein in my enthusiasm about this book enough to keep this review relatively brief. Here are five things I adored about Secret Love:
1. The cover.
Visually appealing as heck, with a strong vintage vibe. Feel free to judge this book by it.
2. The vintage factor.
It's no secret that I'm a lover of all things vintage, so when I saw "1955" in the description, I was instantly intrigued. I love historical romance, but I rarely see anything set newer than the Victorian era.
3. The writing.
Clean, polished and error-free, and very well edited. I like that.
4. Portrayal of life in the 50's:
I'm still trying to figure this out: since I was born in 1980, how did reading this book make me so flipping nostalgic? I couldn't get over the way the setting was so unobtrusively but unmistakably 1955. It probably helped that I toggled over to YouTube and played the songs that were referenced as I read. The title of the book itself was a catchy Doris Day number.
5. The love story itself.
There's no major trauma, no bullets flying, no fatal car accidents, just a lifelike romance with the emotional stakes that come along with the territory. But this is in no way boring: I found myself falling in love with and rooting for Lizzie and Wayne from page one. They're very likable, realistic characters.
To sum it up all short and sweet? Five hearts.
About the Author:
Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends.
Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmetic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines.
Connect with Christine Warner:
Buy the Book:
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Secret Love in exchange for a fair and impartial review.
Posts
I have read your excellent post. This is a great job. I have enjoyed reading your post first time. I want to say thanks for this post. Thank you.
ReplyDeletetop cash for cars brisbane
best cash for cars brisbane
After reading your article I was amazed. I know that you explain it very well. And I hope that other readers will also experience how I feel after reading your article.
ReplyDeleteCash for Cars Wollongong
Truly, this article is really one of the very best in the history of articles. I am a antique ’Article’ collector and I sometimes read some new articles if I find them interesting. And I found this one pretty fascinating and it should go into my collection. Very good work
ReplyDeletecash for scrap car
Srap car removal
After reading your article I was amazed. I know that you explain it very well. And I hope that other readers will also experience how I feel after reading your article.
ReplyDeletecash for cars gold coast
cash for cars sunshine coast
"You have done a brilliant job making sure that people understand where you are coming from. And let me tell you, I get it. Please post more updates to cure.
ReplyDeleteRegards Cash For Cars Sunshine Coast
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward to your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
ReplyDeletecar buyer Melbourne
Great post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog and I am inspired! Extremely useful information specially the ultimate part :) I maintain such info much. I used to be seeking this particular information for a very lengthy time.
ReplyDeleteThank you and good luck.
cash for unwanted cars caboolture
Simply want to say your article is as surprising. The clearness in your post is simply great and i could assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the enjoyable work.
ReplyDeleteTownsville Cash for Cars
Thanks for sharing. We pay our customers instant cash up to $9,999 without any waiting time. It is our policy to not let customers wait for their money. We also provide free towing services, so customers save even more money when dealing with us. This strategy has been a great success with our customers in Queensland. Through this, we gained a lot of goodwill from our customers.
ReplyDeletecash for cars sydney nsw
Fantastic goods from you, man. I've understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely fantastic. I really like what you have acquired here, really like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it sensitive. I can't wait to read far more from you. This is really a tremendous site. cash for scrap cars everton park
ReplyDeleteThis article is truly one of the best in the history of articles. I am an antique 'Article' collector, and I occasionally read new articles if they are interesting. And this one piqued my interest and should be added to my collection. This is a fantastic website. Car Wreckers Brisbane
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely loved this review of "Secret Love" by Christine Young! Your detailed analysis of the characters and the plot truly brought the story to life for me. I appreciate how you highlighted the emotional depth and the historical context, making it clear why this book is a must-read. As someone who enjoys both romance and historical fiction, your review has definitely convinced me to pick up this book. By the way, if you're ever in Sydney and need to get rid of an old vehicle, sydney cash for cars offers a great service!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic review of "Secret Love" by Christine Young! Your vivid descriptions and thoughtful analysis of the characters and plot twists have piqued my interest in this book. It's clear that the emotional journey and historical backdrop make it a compelling read. I appreciate your recommendation and can’t wait to dive into it. By the way, if anyone in Adelaide is looking to get rid of an old Hyundai, " hyundai wreckers adelaide " offers excellent services!
ReplyDelete