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Secrets: A Novel | 
| Author: Jude Deveraux
Publisher: Atria
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $14.55
You Save: $11.40 (44%)
New (27) Used (6) Collectible (1) from $7.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 1753
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0743437187
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780743437189
ASIN: 0743437187
Publication Date: May 6, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: FREE POSTAL UPGRADE....MINT/GIFT.....GREAT PRICES AND SERVICE
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Product Description
At age twelve, Cassandra Madden fell in love with Jefferson Ames, a young man she met at one of her mother's business conferences. Over the years, during periods of loneliness and struggle, Cassie held on to this unrequited love in order to cope with her isolated heart and the pain of a cold mother. Even when Cassie grew up, went off to college, and met a man she thought she'd marry, her heart yearned for Jeff.In a decisive moment, she breaks off the pending engagement and travels to Williamsburg, Virginia, where the now-widowed Jeff lives with his young daughter. Cassie becomes the child's nanny, but, even though she sees the object of her desire every day, Jeff has yet to even notice her. Then, one day, she hears shots coming from the mansion of Althea Fairmont, an eccentric woman who is thought of as the world's greatest living actress. Cassie runs to investigate, and, in an instant, her safe little life is turned upside down. She begins to learn that all the people around her aren't who they claim to be. Everyone has secrets -- and until Cassie unravels those secrets, she and Jeff will never have a chance to be happy together.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Where's the romance???? May 12, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Jude, Jude, Jude....where is the romance in this book? There's no passion, no chemistry, nothing, between the Hero & Heroine. This could have been a great story but it left me wanting so much more......
I've always been a fan, and I auto buy every book, but I'm very disappointed!
Lovely characters. Confusing story. May 8, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Jude Deveraux's "Secrets" is an "okay" book. It isn't the greatest, but it isn't the worst book she has ever written. (I think "Someone to Love" was her worst book.) She's a master at character development, and even better when it comes to describing the world her characters live in. In "Secrets," I was able to fully imagine the characters: Their likes, dislikes, attitude, and all those little quirks. I was able to visualize the small town, the quiet neighborhood, and the pretty houses these people live in. Jude Deveraux's writing successfully takes you THERE.
My main issue with the book is the storyline itself. "Secrets" starts off pretty well, and captures you right into the novel. But after Althea Fairmont is introduced to the characters, the story becomes stranger and weirder. At certain points in the story, there was just too much going on. I had a hard time remembering that, "Oh! This happened here." "And this matched up with this part of the storyline," etc. There was so much going on, that it over shadowed any romance in the story. I got the impression that Jude Deveraux was trying to tell too many stories in ONE story. Or maybe she just couldn't decide which story she wanted to write. And because of that, it made "Secrets" awkward.
Not that Althea Fairmont is an unlikable character. I actually found her to be really interesting. But even by the end of the book, Althea Fairmont's "situation" was never solved. And a new character was introduced to the storyline two pages before the end of the book. If Jude Deveraux needs another book to finish the story, that's fine. "Secrets" isn't her worst book. But if there IS a sequel to this, please oh PLEASE don't make it as confusing as "Secrets." Make it straight forward and more romance!
I've read just about every single one of Jude Deveraux's books. And I really love her romance stories. But her current books lack a LOT of romance and love.
 engaging romantic whodunit May 6, 2008
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
As a twelve years old child Cassie Madden fell in love with kindhearted Jefferson Ames. Although she moaned being born too late, as he is older than her, she still wanted to be near him as often as possible.
Years later at college Cassie knows that in spite of being engaged to someone else, she still loves Jefferson, who is a widower raising his daughter five years old Elsbeth. She ends her engagement and travels to Williamsburg, Virginia where her Jeff lives with his offspring. She becomes Elsbeth's nanny. Meanwhile Jefferson, his friends and his father enjoy the antics of elderly eccentric movie-actress Althea Fairmont who lives nearby. Althea arranges a special performance of a real unsolved murder mystery with Cassie and Jeff starring in the lead roles; her goal is to see if anyone can uncover the truth while Jeff begins to fall in love with Cassie; who never stopped living him
The romance is well written as the lead characters are a fine pairing once Jeff no longer considers Cassie as a younger sister. However, the tale belongs to the mystery as seemingly everyone conceals SECRETS; with every revelation the plot twists and keeps twisting. Readers will enjoy this engaging romantic whodunit as the support cast will keep the audience wondering what secret Jude Deveraux will reveal next.
Harriet Klausner
 Big Letdown From Great Author May 5, 2008
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
I have been a Jude Deveraux fan for years and have read most of her books. I will buy a book just because it has her name on it. This is the first time I have been disappointed, and it was a major letdown.
The opening chapters had the potential to become a good story. Unfortunately, it quickly became a maze of confusing story lines that went nowhere interesting and were populated by characters that were undeveloped and boring shells. Most of the dialogue was trite and just plain silly.
I advise you take a pass on this offering and hope Ms. Deveraux's next book is more up to her usual standard.
Should have been kept a secret! May 3, 2008
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
I am a huge Jude Deveraux fan, have read all her books, some several times, but this is a meandering, wandering collection of loose ends. No romance at all, first kiss about 20 pages before the story wraps up.
There's young love, CIA, murder and nothing to grab onto, everything is glossed over and rushed when perhaps something, ANYTHING good might have happened.
It has to be the oddest book I've ever finished- I would suggest passing this one up. A total disappointment.
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