A look into being a housewife in Australia in the 1960s, the premise of this book was compelling to me – especially the way that it was organized based on major historical events that were happening at time – but the execution fell a little flat. I found the two main characters, Edith and Frankie, to be so interesting at the beginning, and I was compelled to keep reading to learn more about them, but by the end, I found myself being a bit bored by them.

The writing of this book was very well crafted, and I thought that the side characters (especially Johnny) were very interesting, and I almost think that more of the side characters would have been interesting and beneficial for this book.

I enjoyed the process of reading this book, and almost gave it another star, but I found the ending to be disappointing and didn’t really fit with what I had grown to know the characters to be and do. Overall, a good book, but it had the potential to be great and it wasn’t.

This was an interesting read about women's lives and friendships in the 60s in Australia. (It's not the US as one review I read stated). I was so confused at first because I couldn't figure out why the characters used mum instead of mom and that the men bonded over cricket, ahaha. There were enough geographical clues to point to Australia, and then finally in the second half, it was actually mentioned. Not a big deal, but I started the book thinking it was about 1960s culture in America. Very similar, of course, but it is probably a bit different.

Anyway. Let's start with the main character, Edie. She was annoying at times, and definitely a product of the 50s and 60s mindset in terms of gender roles. She's also very religious and anti-birth control. New next-door neighbor Frankie comes across as positively free-spirited in comparison. Even with Edie's social anxiety, the two become fast friends as Frankie starts to work outside the home in secret since her husband Ralph is old fashioned (even for the 60s). Edith also grows and changes her mind about some things as the book goes, which I appreciated.

The ending was unsatisfying, and I couldn't help but wonder what the author was trying to say? I found it all a little depressing that two women formed a friendship based on hiding a job from one of the husbands. I also cant help but think a story from Frankie's POV would have been a bit more interesting..

That said, I did like it well enough, and would recommend it if you want a slice of life from the 60s (in Austraiia, haha),

In 1961, on the day Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to journey to outer space, Edith Devine moves into her newly built suburban home. Edith, the consummate housewife, is happily married to Charlie, and they have two teenage daughters. Yes, theirs is the American Dream come to life.

When Frankie and Ralph (and their two sons) move into the yellow house next door, Edith and Frankie become best friends.

Frankie is glamorous and wants more than a future of homemaking. Her domineering husband (what an oaf!) would never allow such a thing. Edith and Frankie hatch a plan—Frankie gets a part-time modeling job, and Edith secretively takes care of the household chores and cooking for both families.

Everything works swimmingly until it doesn't.

I especially enjoyed the way Edith followed current world events, particularly the space program. (A momentous world event was a sign of an event to come within her own life.) The author did a fantastic job of describing culture and society of the 1960s and early 1970s. I grew up during those years and remember many of my mother's daily routines (mounds of laundry to iron, Days of Our Lives each afternoon, supper on the table by 6 pm, etc.)

The Secret Wife is the story about friendship between two women who long to be liberated. At times, I was reminded of Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates (although The Secret Wife is much more light-hearted). The story's ending surprised me and was not altogether satisfying, but overall I found this quick read to be engaging with a charming dose of nostalgia. 

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book prior to publication. Opinions are my own.

I requested this book from Netgalley based on the cover and summary, but the story just didn't live up to it. Edith was a frustrating parody of a Stepford Wife that I kept waiting and waiting to evolve, but she just kept on as she was. And while Frankie was originally introduced as a firecracker who might shake things up, she fizzled and eventually became as uninteresting to me as Edith was. And the gimmick of having every major event in Edith's life coincide with a historical event quickly became tedious and repetitive to the point where it felt like a retread of Forrest Gump. The author was just skimming down Wikipedia and hanging plot points off the bolded entries. The book still could have been salvaged by sticking the landing, but then came the absolutely godawful ending that almost made me want to delete the book from my reading history.

Hugely disappointing in all aspects.

The Secret Wife is set in 1960s and follows a young house wife named, Edith Devine. Edith loves history and historical moments so much that she connects everything with her own life.

When the story begins, Edith just moved to her brand-new house, and becomes friends with her glamorous neighbour, Frankie. Two women became close-friends and we learn more about Edith's life as she opens up to her friend. When Frankie takes up a modelling job without her husband's knowledge, Edith supports her friend and does house chores of both households.

I love how effortlessly the author weaves historical moments with Edith's life. It's entertaining and heart-wrenching at the same time. All the characters were well-written. However, I wish there were multiple perspectives. I wanted read more about Charlie and Frankie. I also felt the ending was rushed.

Regardless, the Secret Wife is a compelling read about female companionship

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Highly recommend! The first book to read by this author but not the last! The story and the characters are captivating and it's hard to put the book down!

The Secret Wife
by Mark Lamprell

1960 and two fast friends at first sight. All of the characters were likable and 3 dimental. I enjoyed the book was not rushed, or over-detailed just to miss the point. Great book and kudos for Mark Lamprell. I LOVED the cover as well.


Thank you to Text Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of The Secret Wife.

Lamprell provides a very detailed look into 1960s American and focuses on female friendship and liberation. The characters are very authentic and several of them will warm your heart and you'll root for many of them. Big events during the decade of the 60s are seen through the eyes of two protagonists, Frankie and Edith. This book will elicit emotions like laughter and sadness as both women try to test their independence limits in a world that still wants to limit women.

Thank you to Text Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of The Secret Wife.

This was a compelling and unique book concept, examining complex social mores and changes of the 1960s in parallel to the ever-decreasing simplicity of existences of two neighboring housewives, Edith and Frankie.

I felt taken back to my own childhood of the 70s, where social change was still ramping up, yet life had a much quieter quotidian rhythm. People also socialized with neighbors as in this book, far more back then than now, in my experience.

I felt a deep nostalgia for that bygone social simpleness while reading this book, while also appreciating the history reminders of how far women have come in our country, legally and culturally.

But oh, to return briefly to a life where husbands and religion were all we needed to guide us was like returning home to my early youth, before life became more open with choice, yet more frightening in consequence.

Five stars.

I just have to firstly note how I love the cover. Very current with TikTok/Instagram vibes.

I love everything 60s; so this book was right up my street! Highly engaging and true to the times. I’ve already recommended this to so many people.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the time era that it was written in. I think that Lamprell did an excellent job with this book. It kept me engaged the whole way through and I didn't want to put it down. I loved that Edith and Frankie became fast friends. I think that is something most of us can relate to. I also wish that I had someone like Edith to become my secret wife to keep my house in order while I work too! Overall, I thought this was a fun and enjoyable book that I would recommend to other readers.

I really loved this ! An evolving tale of friendship between two women as it follows the ups and downs of family life .One to stay with you for a long time .

This is a really great original story. I got immediately swept up in the time period and the characters. I think the strongest part of this book is the plot. It’s a slow bill but compelling.

Still not sure how I feel about this book and the characters in it, I thought it was going to be full of suspense but not the case, it was a change to find myself in the 60s imagining a woman’s place in the world, we have come so far

The Secret Wife, by Mark Lamprell, is a bit of a different take on Women's Literature. While the main focus is on two women's friendship & families, there's also a focus on some of the most defining moments of the 60s. The writing is well done, if a bit slow at times. I liked that while it's mostly written from Edith's (the main character) point of view, some of the chapters give us a look into how the other characters see things. I didn't love the ending though it was wrapped up nicely without any cliffhangers or anything like that.
It's 1961 and Edith & Charlie Devine are moving into their newly built house, in a fairly new neighborhood. At first Edith is disappointed because she doesn't see any other families nearby but then Frankie & Ralph Heyman move in across the street. Though they're quite different from each other Edith and Frankie become fast friends.
Frankie is offered a well paying modeling job but Ralph wants her home, looking after the house and their sons. So Edith comes up with the idea to be Frankie’s secret wife by helping her keep her household running smoothly. It ends up working out better than they ever could have imagined.

Lamprell has an acute understanding of how setting influences the plot and characters. His exemplary portrayal of 1960s America helps readers understand the underlying themes of female friendship and liberation in addition to those of unconditional sacrifice and the power of pulling together. He has used a sense of place to his advantage and made use of time in showcasing these prevalent issues through the eyes of his characters. The 1960s truly was a decade that changed a nation.

“Charlie and Edith moved into their new house on the same day that Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth.”

Lamprell gives readers a head start in understanding his plot. They immediately know the cultural and social environment and can predict the dialogue and mood. When Edith announces that “she and Yuri were launching into new frontiers,” readers know what trajectory to expect. The narrative was filled with perfectly placed metaphors and actions that elicited smirks and giggles.

Frankie Haymen and Edith Devine will warm your heart. They were so authentic. I also loved Auntie Pearl! That poor lady was blamed for the mileage on the odometer and I laughed when Frankie and Edith had to “put the car on blocks and run it in reverse.” Ralph, Frankie’s irritating and narrow-minded husband, was representative of the time and was a good measuring stick for me to compare to the liberal views my husband possesses. How far we’ve come in 60 years! Looking through the microscope at the 1960s from our generation of equal opportunity and work-life-balance to see the reality of today’s baby boomers was a good exercise.

Lamprell takes readers on a journey with Frankie and Edith through the 1960s and shows how the world’s great events seem to be mirrored in the lives of the two women. Readers will be privy to the secrets both women keep and the very real struggle they face in being caught up in a world that’s rapidly changing. You’ll laugh and cry as you read about Frankie and Edith trying to stretch their wings and become independent in a world that wants to clip those wings. It’s a phenomenal book. The day in 1969 when humans step out onto the surface of the moon mirrors a fateful conclusion for Edith and Frankie.

I was gifted this advance copy by Mark Lamprell, Text Publishing, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.