Elizabeth Mavery understands that sometimes, the people who seem the happiest have the most to hide.

But it’s imperative she forget the past, so when she’s not going to Costco or day-drinking with her best friend, she’s trying to create a new, drama-free life in the suburbs. And it seems to work – until an anonymous gossip blog begins spilling the women of Waterford’s darkest secrets.

Now, the blurred conversations and blank spots in Elizabeth’s mind give way to panic and anxiety. If her secrets – like a hospitalization for bipolar disorder and a suicide attempt - don’t stay buried, she faces social shunning. Because after all, life in Waterford must look Instagram perfect at all times.

With her mental health in tatters and her marriage on the brink of imploding, Elizabeth fights to protect her family, her reputation, and her sanity. The past, however, has a way of not being forgotten. 

A delicious mix of gossip and darker narrative, The Secrets We Keep is a brilliant look at life in the social media age, friendship, and the stigma of mental illness.

The Secrets We Keep Sample

Not all broken things are ruined.

Then: Ellison Brooks - PTA President, real estate agent extraordinaire, and Head Bitch in Charge with endless friends and parties to attend.

Now: Ellison Brooks – divorced, single mother of two, financially reliant on her awful ex-husband, and utterly lacking self-confidence.

One month after her divorce is final, Ellison’s ex-husband marries the woman he left her for, sending Ellison spiraling into despair. Her friends have abandoned her, her job is in the tank, and she’s lonely for human connection.

The woman who once had everything now does little more than drink wine and focus on the time she has with her kids. She’s a mess and has no idea how to fix herself.

But then Ellison meets Luke, an intriguing stranger who is only in town for the weekend. Determined to break out of her rut, Ellison jumps at the chance for a hot, one-night stand. When it’s over, she walks away from Mr. One Night Only with no idea how to ever reach him again…

…Until the first day of school when Luke turns out to be her son's new teacher. Despite their electric connection, Luke is off-limits according to school board rules and everyone around Ellison. But she just can’t stay away.

As the town of Waterford buzzes about her possible romance, Ellison tries to figure out how to navigate the bitchy world of frenemies, town gossips, and a petty ex-husband while piecing herself back together.

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