Secrets

Jude Deveraux brilliantly entwines passion, memory, and a touch of intrigue in this spellbinding New York Times bestseller.

At age twelve, Cassandra Madden fell in love with Jefferson Ames, a young man she met at one of her mother's business conferences. For years, Cassandra held on to this unrequited love in order to cope with her loneliness and the pain of her mother's coldness; even after meeting a man she thought she might marry, her heart still yearned for Jeff.

In a decisive moment, Cassandra calls off her pending engagement and travels to Williamsburg, Virginia, to become the nanny to the now-widowed Jeff's young daughter. But the object of her desire barely notices her. That is, until the day she hears shots coming from the mansion of an eccentric neighbor, a world-renowned actress. Stepping into a world of deception, where no one is who they claim to be, Cassandra must unravel the secrets all around her -- before she and Jeff can ever find happiness together.

**

From Publishers Weekly

Romance titan Deveraux (Someone to Love, etc.) packs her latest with jagged surprises, but the pieces fail to fall together satisfyingly. At age 12, Cassandra Madden has been in love with also 'tween Jefferson Ames, whom she meets on a business trip with her mother. After college, Cassie moves to Jeff's hometown of Williamsburg, Va., and eventually becomes nanny to widower Jeff's daughter, Elsbeth. Jeff treats Cassie as part of the family, but reserves his romantic feelings for gorgeous Skylar, who despises Cassie and ignores Elsbeth. When she hears gunshots next door and finds aging film star Althea Fairmont lying prone but unharmed, she and the famous Althea become friends. As Cassie begins to archive Althea's Hollywood memorabilia, she uncovers Althea's hidden history and is drawn, with Jeff, into a dangerous web of secrets, lies and murder. The story has moments of humor and romantic chemistry, but they do little to salvage the unruly plot. (May)

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Review

"A sweet love story filled with twists and turns." -- Booklist

"Deveraux's touch is gold." -- Publishers Weekly