Revi
ewer: Andrea
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The summary:
Though Peak Plantation has been in her family for generations, Leslie Nichols can’t wait to rid herself of the farm left to her by her estranged grandmother Maggie—and with it the disturbing memories of her mother’s death, her father’s disgrace, and her unhappy childhood. But Leslie isn’t the only one with a claim to Peak.
Jay Davenport, Peak’s reclusive caretaker, has his own reasons for holding onto the land bequeathed to him by Leslie’s grandmother. Before she died, Maggie hinted at a terrible secret surrounding Adele Laveau, a lady’s maid who came to Peak during the 1930s and died under mysterious circumstances. Jay is haunted by Maggie’s story, yet the truth eludes him—until Leslie uncovers a cryptically marked grave on the property.
As they delve into the mystery of Adele’s death, Leslie and Jay discover shocking secrets that extend deep into the roots of Leslie’s family tree—secrets that have the power to alter her life forever.
The review:
The Secrets She Carried is as beautifully-written as the love story between Adele and Henry. In this novel where the plantation becomes a living entity as vital to the plot as any of the other characters, the story alternates between Leslie and Jay’s story and Adele and Henry’s, showing Peak’s past as well its future. Though the Gone with the Wind cliché is inevitable (and unnecessarily mentioned), the setting’s charm makes visualizing the farm and town as easy as sipping a glass of iced tea on the veranda. The characterization is fantastic. Each character’s motivation becomes intensely clear, Leslie’s obsession with finding her history, Jay’s denied desires, Adele’s need for Henry’s love, and Henry’s passion for Peak.
While the past/present narration is interesting, I was somewhat thrown by the chapter organization in the beginning. There didn’t seem to be a definitive pattern to the way in which the chapters were laid out; however, as the plot progressed, I could see how events in the chapters mirrored each other, creating an interesting contrast and connection between past and present, Adele and Leslie. I question the need for Jay’s POV, though. The theme of female suffering and strength seems diminished somehow by having Jay’s chapters. The story could have been just as powerful and told just as artfully without his point of view. Also, I wanted more of Adele’s story. I found myself disappointed when her chapters ended and Leslie’s began.
Overall, it is a fantastic story of love, loss, and life’s journey.
4 stars
