I was waiting for this book to come out anxiously to get closure on the mystery that we found in the first book. Good thing these two were released pretty close together. Another great thing is that each book features a different couple so you actually get an HEA for each. This may just be a great formula for duologies in my opinion. 😉

I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest Ilya fan in the first book. He seemed like an uncaring idiot half the time, from how he was acting towards his family and towards his ex wife (personal and business wise). The reasons why their marriage hadn’t worked. I knew there was a deeper reason to why he was the way he was and a lot of that had to do with Jennilynn’s death. But I still wasn’t his #1 fan. After this book, I can’t say I turned into one, but I could understand him better which is all I wanted to do. He made sense to me. Right or wrong. And I wanted to see him find his happy ending.

Theresa was that perfect missing piece in his life. While her father had married his mother for a short period of time, the fact that at one point they were step-siblings didn’t have the taboo impact on me that maybe it should’ve gone for. But there was a sort of easy chemistry between her and Ilya now that was unique to them. I don’t think they had the spark I felt with Alicia and Nikolai in the first book, but I wanted them to find some peace together. Both having gone through a lot in their lives. And this certainly was that.

I was a bit disappointed with Theresa and how she’s handled the bad hand life dealt her. I would’ve acted much differently in her position, but I get it. Overall, though, I liked her character. She was trying to be strong while being good, putting others first and trying to find a balance. The development of her relationship with Ilya felt very organic and I liked that.

I was hoping for more of a twist in the end. I had all these big ideas of what could’ve happened and it turned out to be a simple answer in the end. While this wasn’t the thrilling mystery ride I was looking for, it was an entertaining read that definitely made me care for the characters and kept me reading as fast as I could to get to the end.

Ilya always felt like a disappointment, even more so when his girlfriend Jennilyn drowns. He ends up marrying her sister Alicia, which eventually ends in divorce.

Theresa returns for a funeral and now she and Ilya struggle with their feelings for each other and the complications that come with them.

Things become more complicated when the circumstances surrounding Jennilyn's death are revealed.

Everything Megan Hart writes is gold. There are few writers on my auto buy, but Hart is definitely one of them. That being said, don’t think I gave this novel a 5 star based on solely that.

She knows how to write engaging characters whose stories grab you heart strings. You are sure to go through an emotional roller before you done so make sure you are prepared going in. This novel is no different. Normally, I avoid such emotional reads, but Hart is such a master at story telling, it’s worth it.

All the Secrets We Keep picks up where Alicia and Niko’s story left off. I’d say I enjoy this one more than the first book. All The Lies We Tell is such an unhappy book for the most part that it affected my mood while reading it. Thank goodness this one is a bit lighter even though the family drama continued. There were few questions left unanswered in the first book that was finally dealt with in this story. Mainly, the mystery revolving around Jenni’s death. There are clues that are thrown along the way so come revelation, it doesn’t really come off as a surprise.

Like the first one, it was told on four different engaging POVs: Ilya, Theresa, Niko, and Alicia, with a few glimpses around the past. Ilya is one disappointing and stubborn character in the first book so I am expecting he’ll be his same jerk self on his own story. But, alas, he mellowed down and changed his ways. Slowly, I warmed on to his character as I get to know him deeper. I like how his character gradually matured and developed from someone you don’t like to someone you root for. Theresa, on the other hand, seemed to be so mysterious in the first book which will make you question her motives. She’s keeping a secret that I actually expected to be something more vicious, like a revenge or something selfish in nature, than what was revealed.

Megan Hart surely knows how to captivate her readers with not only well-written and compelling stories but with realistic characters as well. All The Secrets We Keep sure gives a nice ending for the quartet.

This book and the first were meant to be read together. They are stories which don't make sense apart and are intrinsically linked. That might have bothered me but it was very obvious upon reading the first book that there was plenty more story to explore. There were so many unanswered questions in regards to what would happen with Ilya and the fact that Theresa had a lot more troubles. And there were all the unanswered questions to be had with Jenni. And what on earth motivated Galina to come home. Basically, this book was both the story of Theresa and Ilya finding their happy, but also about tying up loose ends.

It was a really fast read and whilst it was angstier than my usual books I kind of enjoyed that. I was a bit wary going in, whilst I'd quite liked Theresa in the first book (despite her secretive ways) I was far more wary of Ilya. He came across as a bit of a dick in the first book and also very hung up on a girl he loved as a teenager. I didn't get how I was going to be convinced to like him and especially when he didn't seem willing to grow from the teenager he once was. Thankfully, Megan Hart is a far better author than I gave her credit for because whilst I'd been a fan of Theresa's in the first book it was actually Ilya I was cheering for because he really turned over a new leaf.

I will give this book that, there was plenty of character growth, far more than I experience in the first. I like Nico and Alicia as a couple but they seemed like they were falling back into something which could have happened if given a chance anyway. They were inevitable. Theresa and Ilya, on the other hand, had to grow as people before they were ready to even think about moving forward together. I liked that level of growth they experience, but especially Ilya growing into the adult he should have been long ago.

I was a little disappointed with the mystery surrounding Galina and Barry and what happened to Jenni all those years ago. I predicted back in the first book (not precisely, but I knew bits of what must have happened) and that obviousness about something which was in the background through two books was a bit of a letdown. I know it wasn't the focus of the books so I won't let it affect my rating but it was a bit meh.

As a whole, the book was brilliant and a fantastic close to the story of these characters and I will definitely be visiting Megan Hart's books in the future.

I loved this book. Ilya was such a tortured man, but once he realized some hard truths, he stepped up. I thought he handled the relationship of his brother and ex-wife extremely well. Teresa had secrets, but didn't want to confide in anyone, due to embarrassment.
Some of the secrets that were revealed were jaw dropping. I liked how all the peripheral characters had more to do with the big secret than I thought they would have. I also believe that the way Teresa and Ilya handled their relationship was very well thought out and written.
Great second book. I will definitely read more by this author.

I found All the Secrets We Keep quite compelling. I hated to have to stop reading, and I couldn’t wait to get back to the book. I was surprised by my reaction, considering I found the first book a little slow and felt the main characters, Alicia and Niko were likeable, but a bit dull. Ilya and Theresa, especially Theresa, are both much more interesting characters. I found Niko and Alicia to be too passive, spending too much time contemplating past mistakes and decisions (or lack thereof). Theresa and Ilya are more active, even when their decisions aren’t the best, they’re moving forward with direction and concrete goals. I didn’t like Ilya in the first book, and he starts out as the same stubborn man here, but he finally realizes he’s fighting a losing battle. Letting go of the business he and Alicia had owned seemed to open the floodgates to take steps, with Theresa’s help, to move on from the past, and finally, grow up. Ilya was stuck emotionally, and I loved seeing his introspection and his efforts to make better decisions. Ilya’s growth and development are subtle, which makes them more believable and realistic. I did find the obstacle between him and Theresa to be minor, not a true obstacle, but I don’t think this series is a traditional romance, so I can overlook it. There was a shroud of mystery to Theresa in The Lies We Tell, and I was intrigued. As the details emerged, I wasn’t sure I agreed with how she handled her situation, however, I did enjoy this plot thread and where it eventually lead. I had my theory about the death of Jenni, Alicia’s older sister and Ilya’s former love, but I was wrong. Still, I found the conclusion very satisfying, and really liked this book.

Ilya Stern was a failure in his opinion. When Jenni drowned he knew something was wrong but didn’t know what it was. After her death he married her sister as a way to keep Jenni in his life. The dive shop was a way to keep Jenni in both his and Alicia’s lives. After divorcing a decade later Ilya and Alicia finally realized that their marriage should have never happen. I was never what either of them wanted. When Ilya’s brother comes home for their grandmother’s funeral old feelings are uncovered between him and Alicia. Feelings that turn into so much more than either expected. This was hard for Ilya to see however he wanted everyone to be happy.

All Ilya needed was for someone to believe in him. When Teresa Malone waltz’s back into their life so many secrets unfold. Teresa and Ilya’s families were connected for a year while their parents were married. Due to her pill-popping father all of that was taken away one night when they were kicked out of the house they had been living in with Ilya and his family. 10 years later she shows up at Babulya’s funeral. She convinces Alicia to sell her shares of the dive shop to an investor she is working for. Needing the sale to help her out of her own financial issues. As she tries to convince Ilya to sell, she realizes her feelings for him have ignited—from sisterly into something more. She sees potential in Ilya that no one has seen before. When the diner comes up for sale she sees it as a great business opportunity for her and Ilya. As their feelings for each other get stronger they decide to take a chance on the diner and their relationship. When secrets are brought to light their relationship is put to the test. Will they be able to put the past behind them.

When last we left off with Ilya, Niko, Alicia, and Theresa, in All the Lies We Tell, Alicia and Niko were a couple (despite his brother Ilya being Alicia's first husband), and Theresa was desperate for Ilya to sell his ownership in the dive shop he co-owned with Alicia, who sold her majority. Megan Hart picks up shortly after Alicia departed for several weeks of world travels, but neither she nor Niko are the focus of this book. Rather, Hart devotes her attention to Ilya and Theresa, neither of whom were all that interesting in the first book.

What a difference a change of storyline makes.

The titular secrets are held largely by Theresa, with some belonging to her father and Ilya's mother. Theresa struggles, though. She holds her secrets close to her out of shame and fear, as well as a sense of loyalty to her father, even though she suspects - as do you - that her loyalty is undeserved and misplaced.

Whereas the first book is about being honest with yourself, this one is about the destructive nature of secrets within a family. Sometimes what you choose to keep to yourself needs to be known in order to protect others. Theresa faces this, and she isn't always sure how to process it. Ilya, on the other hand, just needs to grow up. Hart shows you his maturation as he realizes that he needs to let go of some of the pain he's clung to the past twenty or so years.

Niko and Alicia fans will enjoy reconnecting with them, and those of you who suspected that Theresa's father and Ilya's mother were nothing but trouble will find yourselves vindicated. You also get the truth about Jennilynn, although not much of that will surprise you.

Since this is a Megan Hart book, you know you're in for some hot sexy times, and Hart does not disappoint. You knew in All the Lies We Tell that Ilya and Theresa need to be together, so when they are together together, you won't be surprised to see that they are scorching hot.

I enjoyed this duet. Then again, I enjoy most books from Megan Hart. I can't say she left me with a craving for borscht, but I will admit to a heightened curiosity about Russian cooking.

**** Scheduled for publication on the blog on June 17

All the Secrets We Keep is the interesting, but not so exciting conclusion to the mystery that started in All the Lies We Tell. It's not so very exciting because so much of it was telegraphed before the reveal that the reveal didn't add much.

Having said that, this family drama got a whole lot more dramatic in this conclusion. I really liked Ilya and Theresa in this book. Both of them needed to get out from under their families' expectations and desires and they did so together.

Some parts that were exactly as I expected: Ilya really didn't mind Allie and Niko getting together so much; Galina is a first class bitch, but asshole would do too; Theresa is one hell of a woman. Other parts I was off a bit on my guesses but not by much: the role of Theresa's father, for instance; where Galina fit into all this; and whether Ilya would ever sell.

I liked getting to the bottom of the mystery. I liked seeing Alicia and Niko get on with their lives. I liked how well Theresa and Ilya fit together. But, while that was all good, I really can't say I enjoyed this book. It felt weighted and even the reveal seemed to make everything all the heavier. It didn't help that I hated Galina and Barry when it was all done.

So yes, glad I read it. But it wasn't a pleasure cruise.

I find that I enjoyed this book so much more than the first. I'm sure a lot has to do with not having to get to know all the characters and their backgrounds since this book started where we left off in book 1. I also think it has to do with the change in tone of the story. There was a lot of drama with all the characters in book 1 and there still is in this book, but a lot of had been resolved as well.

At the end of book 1, Alicia and Nikolai finally accept their feelings for each other and we got to see them be happy in this book. Ilya finally shows some growth and behaved less selfishly because of Theresa and her influence on him. He was all wrong for Alicia but with Theresa he was becoming a better man.

Then we began to learn more about what happened between Galina and Barry, Theresa's father, and also what happened to Jennilyn all those years ago.

While this book focuses on Ilya and Theresa, there were 5 other characters that were in it so much that they all felt like main characters. It's based around the two families who were neighbors and grew up together

Jennilynn - popular girl in school who partied too much and was in love with Ilya even though they were never really a couple. She drowns when she is 18 but plays a huge role throughout the book.

Alicia - the less noticeable sister to Jennilyn who had a thing for Nikolai. Nikolai left right after graduation to get away from his family drama. Alicia then leans on Ilya after her sisters death and Nikolai's absence. They get married and built a business together, then later divorce and sell their business. Her and Nikolai finally get together at the end of book 1.

Galena - Mom to Ilya and Nikolai. Galena is the very definition of family drama. She is flaky and had major mood swings that made her sons tip toe around her. She was not a likable character. she seemed very selfish.

Ilya - In love with Jennilyn, but marries Alicia and starts a business with her not long after Jennilyn's death. He seemed very selfish and needed to grow up in book 1.

Nikolai - Leaves right after graduation. He loved Alicia but not enough to stay for her. He and Alicia finally get together at the end of book 1.

Barry - Theresa's father who is also Galina's ex. I did not like his character and you find out what a horrible father he was in this book.

This series is very well written. I may not have liked a lot of the characters but I'll admit I read it very quickly. It kept my attention and I was never bored. ARC provided by NetGalley.

In this conclusion to Megan Hart’s Quarry Road duet, “All the Secrets We Keep” hones its focus in on Ilya Stern and Theresa Malone, while keeping us up-to-date on the burgeoning romance between Alicia and Niko, that first sprung to life in book one—“All the Lies We Tell.”

Picking up right where the first book left off, Theresa doubles her effort to convince Ilya to sell his share of the business that he previously co-owned with his ex-wife, Alicia. In the process, the two become closer, and soon they embark upon a new business venture just as romantic feelings begin to develop.

As the story unfolds, the reader gains a greater insight into Ilya’s state of mind, as well as a greater understanding as to his feelings of inadequacy--especially as it pertains to the women in his life. Theresa’s own problems with her father rise to the surface, shedding light on her dire financial situation. But even more importantly, disturbing information surrounding the mysterious death of Jennilynn-- Ilya’s girlfriend and Alicia’s sister--is finally revealed, giving them much needed closure to an open wound that was left to fester for far too many years.

While the strange dynamics between all the key players in book one was quite intriguing, it’s this second part of their story that truly held me captive. The many revelations that followed in “All the Secrets We Keep” definitely immersed me even further into the story, but it’s the deeper understanding I gained about Ilya that made this story go from good to great.

I can't really give an honest opinion on this book until I read the first in the series. It is my fault for selecting it based on the author and cover before reading the description.

Book Info
Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: June 13th 2017 by Montlake Romance
ISBN 1503942783 (ISBN13: 9781503942783)
Series Quarry Road #2,/a>
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK BLURB


In the riveting conclusion to Megan Hart’s passionate new family drama, the secrets they keep are no match for the truths their hearts will never let go.

Still stuck in his small Central Pennsylvania hometown, Ilya Stern is used to feeling like a disappointment. After his high school girlfriend, Jennilynn, drowned, he married her sister, Alicia, only to divorce a decade later. The business they started together is threatened by a luxury development—and Alicia has already sold her stake. Now that Babulya, Ilya’s gentle Russian grandmother, has died, there’s no one left who believes in him. Or so he thinks.

Theresa Malone was Ilya’s stepsister for only a year, until his mother threw her pill-popping father out of the house in the middle of the night, forcing teenage Theresa to follow. Now she’s returned for Babulya’s funeral—and to facilitate the quarry-development deal. As she tries to convince Ilya to sell, she realizes her feelings for him have ignited—from sisterly into something more.

Working together closely, Ilya and Theresa struggle to define their intense attraction. When the details of Jennilynn’s death surface, will Ilya and Theresa’s deep connection keep their hope for the future afloat—or submerge them once and forever in their tragic past?

My Thoughts


Secrets always seem to find a way to be revealed, for these characters once they are life is once again never the same.

After we left the Harrison and Stern families at the end of book 1 All the Lies We Tell there were a multitude of unanswered questions as well as a bit of unease about the way a romance between Alicia and Niko had unfolded. It just seemed kind of weird that after being married to Ilya first she then found herself attracted to and fell in love with younger Stern brother Niko. Not Incest since no blood ties between the two but still kind of unnerving to this reader because of their past family history.

If that were not enough to make a reader think twice in this second half of the duology we find former brother Ilya and his step-sister Theresa harboring new and non-familial feelings towards each other. Still not Incest but still at times uncomfortable to have them paired together romantically.

As with every book read penned by author Megan Hart my head is reeling with emotional overload by the end of the story. (view spoiler)

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]


On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

This book was a bit more upbeat than the last. You could see all the new beginnings happening and quite frankly I found myself rooting for everyone with their new endeavors. You could see the hint of new love in the last book, with this one it fully bloomed and in places you didn't expect, but I loved. Even the new business seemed perfect, Illya seemed to hit his stride, to actually grow up a bit to take on things. Of course it helped that he had Theresa there to push him in the right direction and keep him on track.

The only downer was when the truth about Jenni came out. While I hated the pain that everyone went through, I was glad that they learned the truth. I wasn't too surprised with what happened, had guessed quite a bit of it, but still hated to see how things ended for Jenni.

The ending gave me hope for those left behind, that they could all finally move forward and do so being happy.

The plot and characters were very cliche and tiresome. The pace was slow. This book didn't quite hit the mark for me. The writing was well done which is the only reason I was able to finish it.

4.5 stars.

I liked this book even more than All the Lies We Tell. Was I surprised? Definitely. I was sure Ilya and Theresa's story couldn't match Alicia and Niko's, but I was wrong. It was one of those rare occasions I was glad to be wrong.

All the Secrets We Tell is the continuation of the Harrison-Stern-Malone family drama, and its conclusion. Like its predecessor, it has multiple POVs, but most of it is focused on Ilya and Theresa. Ilya, Alicia's ex-husband who after the first book hadn't left the impression of being a mature man or that he had been an exemplary husband to Alicia, is the reason I expected this book wouldn't be as good as the first one, even though at the end of All the Lies We Tell he was the wisest of them all. I was pleasantly surprised by his character and by how much I enjoyed reading his chapters. There was a lot to like about him. He wormed himself into my heart, as did Theresa. In book one, I found Theresa secretive. I was suspicious of her, and I was wrong about her too. Theresa's secrets were nowhere near as sinister as I had imagined. Her misfortune made me feel sorry for her, but her strength made me admire her. Together they were so cute, Ilya especially. They brought out the good in each other. I smiled a lot while I was reading about them.

I found this book to be lighter than the previous one, most likely because Alicia and Niko had found each other after all those years, so it was two characters less that needed to find their happy new beginning, and they were recovering from the death of Ilya and Niko's grandmother. Not only that, Ilya and Theresa found a way to honor Babulya in their new business endeavor. What was still hanging above them like a dark cloud was Jenni's tragic death, but even that cloud was slowly moving away. Like in the first book, there were flashbacks to the time surrounding her death many years ago, giving some clues as to what was really happening with her at that time. Truth would come from unexpected people, that is if they are to be believed. Her death had affected the lives of all of them in so many bad ways, but Babulya's brought them back together. They finally found their way to where they belonged. They were four people with a complicated past, and they may have been odd couples what with Niko being Alicia's ex-brother-in-law, and Theresa being Ilya's ex-stepsister, but they worked.

A lot had happened over the past year. Loss, renewal, beginnings, endings. Most of all, though, love. They'd all found love.


As always, Megan Hart's storytelling was amazing. I reread a lot of parts because she writes so beautifully. That and the interesting and complex story of the families on Quarry Street make this duology a hit in my book.

This is the second book of Quarry Road series by Megan Hart. This features Ilya and Theresa and picks up where "All the Lies We Tell" left off. Theresa and Ilya both have issues and are drawn to earn other even though they know it's not a good idea. This book is their journey of finding themselves and love. The writing is good if not choppy at times. I found it hard to relate to either one but was glad they found their HEA. It has a nice twist at the end I didn't see coming. If you enjoyed the first one , you will enjoy this conclusion.

a good read

Although it continues from a previous book All the lies........... I was a bit sceptical thinking that you had to read the first book but that was not the case.I was attracted to the book by the title and the summery.
Interesting book and the plot is well developed sliwly so you want to read more characters are developed throught the book so you are kept on your toes and want to read more never a dull moment.
Definetly recommend it.
I think that the cover does not do the book justice if some people belive that you judge a book by its cover then this will be a none goer.
Something to take into account when browsing through tons of books in a bookshop or internet.Do not be misled by its cover.Bye it and you will not be dissapointed.Makes a super present too.
Enjoy...........