Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty


A simple letter, but was it really that simple?  A letter written long ago.  A letter indicating it was not allowed to be opened.  A letter that made John Paul’s wife, Cecelia, quite curious.

What harm would be done by opening the letter?  Cecelia was dying to open it, but the message  John-Paul wrote on the front of the envelope said it could not be opened until his death.  When Cecilia asked her husband about it, he said he had been sentimental when he wrote it, and that she should just put it away.  Obediently Cecilia, the good wife, put it away without opening it. 


Hints about the contents of the letter will peak your curiosity as it did Cecelia’s.  When she did open the letter and found out what John-Paul had written, she couldn't believe it. How could this be true? Cecelia the perfect wife and fixer of everything couldn't fix this. 

Cecelia was the perfect wife, mother, and town citizen.  She knew everyone in town, and she knew everything about the city residents.  She remembered Tess when she came back to her childhood town because her husband didn't love her any more.  Rachel was also part of Cecelia's circle.  Rachel had a few heartbreaking situations in the past.  But…what Cecelia found in that letter was going to be more than a heartbreak for Rachel. 

THE HUSBAND'S SECRET was focused on this letter, Tess, Rachel and Cecilia.  The letter’s secret had to do with an unknown connection between Tess, Cecelia, and Rachel and something that happened in the past that linked them together and something in the present that caused more heartache and pain.  

When the book begins, you will think it is going to be a book about a husband’s affair, but it is more sinister than that.  It actually is a tragic secret. 

THE HUSBAND’S SECRET is about more than keeping secrets,  though.  It deals with a parent’s love for his/her child and about the lengths parents go to in order to protect their children. It deals with right and wrong, and it deals with the thought - do we really know our spouse or significant other?

Don’t be mislead into thinking it is simply a book about secrets between a husband and his wife.  It is far more than that.  It is a book about secrets whether they are large or small and about our decisions to reveal the secret or to not reveal the secret.

THE HUSBAND’S SECRET is an excellent read that will keep you pondering life, pondering the decisions we make, and thinking about the secrets most of us have.  What is your secret?  5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.

24 comments:

  1. Glad you cleared up that it's more than a secret of an unfaithful husband. Must read it soon!

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  2. I just brought this book home from the library.

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  3. I liked What Alice Forgot, my first book by the author, and this one is on my wishlist. I know it is something I will enjoy. And thanks for keeping the secret about whatever the secret is in the book :)

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  4. Certainly, Rita. That would be awful of me to reveal what the secret was.

    THANKS for stopping by.

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  5. Let me know what you think about it, Nise.

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  6. I loved What Alice Forgot so I'm re4ally looking forward to this book.

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  7. Thanks for your review. I am curious to know what the secret is!

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  8. I loved this one, too...and afterwards, had to check out the author's other books, which led me to What Alice Forgot. Another good one!

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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  9. This has been the hot book of July, I am going to read next. Glad you loved it.

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  10. Your review certainly has me hooked. Now I feel like I just have to learn what the secret was.

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  11. Good to hear, Elizabeth.

    I hope you like the secret after all this suspense. :) :)

    THANKS for stopping by.

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  12. Fantastic review! A letter full of secrets... I can't resist.

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  13. THANKS Diana.

    I know...I love letters AND secrets.

    It is ONE secret in this letter, but it is big enough to count as many. :)

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  14. Wow, great review! You really peaked my curiosity as well. I'm moving this one up on the TBR pile.

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  15. THANKS, Diane.

    I hope you like the book as much as I did and that the secret is not disappointing to you and everyone else since I hyped it up.

    It is a book that will make you think.

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  16. Like everyone else, I am intrigued to know what the secret is. Good review, Elizabeth, getting us all going without any spoilers...

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  17. THANKS for stopping, Clothes in Books.

    Glad you stopped by and enjoyed my review.

    I try my best to never reveal any part of a book's most important parts. :)

    ENJOY your day.

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  18. Sounds like an interesting read! I've read other Liane Moriarty books I enjoyed too.

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  19. Sounds like an interesting read, thanks for making it sound enticing without giving away too much (always a challenge with books like this!)

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  20. roxploration...thanks for stopping and commenting.

    I always try to be evasive when something needs to be evasive. :) :)

    Glad you liked my review.

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  21. And now I am curious about the secret as well! What could it be?

    Thanks for this "teaser", Elizabeth.

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