Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: The Story of Our Secrets: An emotional, uplifting new novel from #1 bestseller Shari Low

Top positive review

❤❤❤❤❤

Reviewed in Australia on 28 March 2022

Beautiful story of loves, friendships, family, forgiveness. And written so well, I'm wondering if Shari knows my gorgeous mother-in-law, she is exactly like Annie.

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A. Reid

Gave up

Reviewed in Australia on 11 July 2022

So badly written! Got about 4 chapters in and had to give up was so clunky and wooden. Dreadful

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From Australia

Lorri Adams

❤❤❤❤❤

Reviewed in Australia on 28 March 2022

Verified Purchase

Beautiful story of loves, friendships, family, forgiveness. And written so well, I'm wondering if Shari knows my gorgeous mother-in-law, she is exactly like Annie.

Helpful

Hayley

A moving novel about family and forgiveness

Reviewed in Australia on 11 November 2021

The Story of Our Secrets takes place five years after the death of Colm O'Flynn. It's told from his widow, Shauna's perspective, who is still reeling from the loss. It follows her and their close-knit group of friends, which includes best friend Dan, ex-wife Jess and Dan's ex-wife Lulu, as they all find their own ways to move on.

Here are just some of the things I liked about The Story of Our Secrets:
- Low's writing style, which reminded me of Paige Toon.
- The flawed characters. None of them was perfect and I always appreciate a book with real and relatable characters. It was a joy to follow their stories and see where they ended up at the end.
- Annie, Shauna's grandmother. Their connection reminded me so much of me and my grandma.
- The flashbacks from Colm as secrets were slowly revealed. I loved that this allowed us to connect with Colm, even after his passing.

The only thing I wanted more from this book was more development in a certain relationship. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but one character gets her happily ever after with a side character I would have loved to get to know more.

Overall though, if you love tender and moving novels about family and forgiveness, I strongly encourage you to pick up The Story of Our Secrets.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Grief, love and forgiveness

Reviewed in Australia on 14 February 2022

Acquired through Kindle Unlimited .

Whenever I read Shari Low, I know I'm in for a great read. She does friends and family dynamics so well. Throw in some heart-warming and heart-breaking surprises and you'll be hooked until the end.

THE STORY OF OUR SECRETS is about lifelong friends held together by their mutual love of one man. Colm O'Flynn speaks to the reader from beyond the grave and he has a lot to say. His widow Shauna, his ex wife Jess, his best mate Dan and Dan's ex Lulu, have forged a friendship through grief, love and forgiveness, but it isn't until Shauna finds Colm's phone five years later, that everything starts to make sense.
You'll laugh and cry, so keep the tissues handy.

Helpful

A book reader

A touching story

Reviewed in Australia on 13 November 2021

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.

I read this book, unaware it was a sequel of sorts to The Story of Our life (which at the time of writing this review is in my TBR file). In my opinion, despite this, this can still be read as a stand-alone book.

Moving onto the review, I found this to be a moving story, following the life of a circle of friends, after the death of Shauna's husband, Colm, as his ex-wife Jess, his best friend Dan come face to face with their past, and each of them and Shauna herself revisit their past and come to terms with it.

We go back and forth from 2016, prior to Colm's death and the present day of 2021, as many secrets come to light.

Overall, this is a moving, heartbreaking story about friends and family coming together as they mourn over their shared grief and each with the help of Colm, accept their past to start moving forward.

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Obergius

Heartwarming wonderful read

Reviewed in Australia on 9 April 2022

I chose this book because I wanted something light to read while travelling (after a couple of years of being stuck at home because of the pandemic). This book was perfect. Well written, easy to read and very engaging. The themes were universal - who hasn’t complicated their life because of misunderstandings and unintended hurts? It’s a shame we don’t all have a Colm available to make us see sense. I’m now sitting with my beautiful new granddaughter (18 months old before we could meet) asleep on my chest with tears streaming down my face. Perfect end to a truly beautiful story

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Elles

A Cracker

Reviewed in Australia on 6 May 2022

Just loved the book. The intertwining lives of a group of close friends who try to deal with the death of one of them shows how we all deal with grief differently. Great characters, entertaining storyline and lots of tender moments in between.

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DENISE WARD

Amazing again

Reviewed in Australia on 18 April 2022

I absolutely love this book. It has made me laugh, shed a tear and look at things from a different perspective. I love the friendships that Shari brings together and how the characters reappear again in different books. Keep on writing Shari as each time I finish a book I am excited for the next xx

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From other countries

LJ Nelson

5 stars – Tissues at the ready… you’re gonna need them!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 November 2021

Verified Purchase

Hello and welcome to Laura's pre-reading safety guide for The Story of Our Secrets by Shari Low. Thank you for joining me today. Are you comfy? *claps hands* Let’s begin…

Please keep the seatbelts provided fastened at all times as you ride this emotional rollercoaster of a read.

Tissues, if required (aye right!), should be located to your left and right with extra supplies under your seat. *whispers and points* I also find tucking a couple up my sleeve and/or in my bra for ease of use very handy. Never fear if you run out, just holla and emergency tissues can be delivered asap.

Refreshments are a must but beware of scalding from hot drinks when you encounter a WTF? scene and/or spontaneous bouts of belly laughter. No one needs to explain where that blister came from *snorts*.

Emotional eating is a common side-effect of reading Shari Low books (I know from personal experience!) so wear your elasticated pants for extra space. Side note: neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for the movement on your scales!

For emergency purposes only:

• It is advisable to have a drinky-drink *winks* on hand. Totally for restorative purposes only, you understand. Just for those ‘gird your loins’ moments. You know the sort I mean!
• Your nominated hug person for those ‘I need a hug’ moments.

Also, before we go, I’m taking names for my own Sad Git’s Recovery Club. Remember and leave your details before you leave.

Right, are you ready? Well, as ready as you’ll ever be…

You’ve got this!

See you on the other side.

I don’t call Shari Low the Queen of Storytelling for nothing.

Hmm, now where did I stick those cucumber slices? These eyes won’t de-puff themselves…

13 people found this helpful

JUMPING JULES

Brilliant read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 November 2021

Verified Purchase

I was so pleased to receive my pre order and this book is just as wonderful as all the others. Because clever Shari Low carefully connects up the loose connections and families in her books we are so invested in the characters. I love that the stories move from a book in Scotland then like this one off to London. It is a lovely story dealing with friendship, betrayal, grief and love. I sat down and read this in a day: kindle to phone at school pick up. Loved it. Unputdownable and can’t wait for her to write the next.

5 people found this helpful

Andrea

I know their secrets

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2021

Verified Purchase

Another fantastic read from Shari, sharing all her family with us.
Thank you for two hours of sobbing into my tissues and leaving me with a runny nose and red eyes, and my husband shaking his head at me because I'm crying Again while reading a book (he is so Colm).

3 people found this helpful

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