The Secrets Beneath starts with a very powerful chapter in which we are introduced to Julian Walker, my favorite character in the entire novel. As we understand the reality through which he went through as a child, we can not help but feel sympathy towards him and wish him a happy ending. However, as the story progresses, and the other characters are introduced, Julian’s story changes a little and made my feelings towards him change. The engagement the author was able to create with this character was one of my favourite aspects of the book because I was always intrigued and interested in him.

The Secrets Beneath depicts a second chance love story, but also approaches interesting family dynamics and the impacts parental love may have in people’s personalities and lives, namely in Julian’s and Anna’s. It gives the reader an opportunity to know more about paleontology while advocating for women’s rights and presents us with a powerful female character that stands by her beliefs until the end. It’s a book that focuses on human kindness and the many paths people can find to have it in them.

I liked the Wyoming small town vibe of the book, but especially enjoyed the mystery and suspense created. The twist the author added in this story was not completely unexpected, but it was very well done and very creative and interesting.

There is a religious component in this book as characters often find solace in Gods guidance. I am not an overly religious person, therefore, this detail was not as relevance to me as it may be to people who are more religious, therefore, I believe they will be able to relate with these characters more easily than I did.

Overall, The Secrets Beneath is a well written book with a perfect pace that will touch people’s hearts. I recommend it to readers who enjoy love stories with some mystery and religion in the mix.

I was drawn to this book because I love historical fiction and have always found paleontology interesting. It was overall a solid story. The characters didn't necessarily jump out at me, but I did appreciate seeing a strong female lead in STEM represented in a historical setting. There's mystery to the story to give it a little suspense, and of course a sweet a romance to round it out. I think most fans of Christian historical fiction would enjoy this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

A historical romance set against the tumultuous race for paleontological discoveries in the American West.

An enjoyable novel set in Wyoming Territory, that brought to life the Bone Wars, in an exciting time when terrific remnants were being discovered deep in the ground. Anna is a talented young woman, thrust into a bigger role in the dig when her father falls ill. The return of a former flame, further tests her as they find themselves swept into a web of intrigue.

A little bit of a slower read for me, I felt like the story lacked a spark of banter or humor, and a lot of the beginning of Anna and Joshua's relationship was in the past. I liked the there were strong themes of faith throughout, and how the author brought the setting to life. A solid historical read.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fascinating story! The suspense was a bit predictable (I had it figured out by chapter three!), but the fresh and unique setting and subject matter kept me glued to the pages.

I'm eager to read the next book!

My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy. My review has not been solicited and is truthful.

The Secrets Beneath
by Kimberley Woodhouse
Pub Date 26 Sep 2023
Bethany House,Bethany House Publishers
Christian| Historical Fiction| Romance


Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley sent me a copy of The Secrets Beneath to review:


Some secrets can only stay buried for so long. . . .



Anna Lakeman has spent her life drawing intricate sketches with her paleontologist dad. After finding dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they're sucked into the competitive era of the Bone Wars. Anna's practical, orderly life is upended when her father gets sick and Joshua Ziegler, her old beau, returns for the summer.



Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget Anna, the woman he loved and deeply hurt. But when he comes back, the feelings they've always shared haven't gone away. As Joshua's nephew goes missing--just like his sister did years ago--and Anna's job is threatened, tensions rise and dangerous secrets emerge.


I give The Secrets Beneath five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Woodhouse's new novel set during the "Bone Wars" of the great dinosaur era of the 1800's. Palaeontology isn't an interest of mine but I recently read Secrets of the Canyon series, which I really enjoyed. The characters in this story really elevate the plot, as they are fully develop and growing as the story continues. Woodhouse's research and attention to detail continues to draw me back to her novels and I look forward to read more of her stories in the future. There are a few moments in this book that feel a little dark and I would caution the younger and/or more sensitive reader about those. especially those with a past of trauma and certain mental illnesses. I do plan to read the next book in the series.

This book by Kimberley Woodhouse is the first in her new series. The story captured me from the get go. I didn't know much about the dinosaur wars, but want to learn more after reading this book! Anna and Joshua both have lessons to learn about faith and love throughout this book.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down! I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It was a well written book it just took me awhile to get into it. The story itself was interesting but it felt too wordy. I didn't need all the descriptive words. I did like the characters and thought the storyline itself was great. I don't know if I would read this book again, but I do like Kimberley Woodhouse and will definitely pick up any of her other books to read!

The sciences are not one of my favorite things to read about. I've read so many books by this author that I just knew she could turn a subject that I wasn't overly excited about into a fascinating story that I couldn't put down. When this historical fiction story took place, the late 1800's paleontology was not a field women got into, there were a few but they were not well received and discredited often. A young woman who grew up with a famous paleontologist father has for many years been drawing intricate sketches at every dig as a way of cataloging and keeping track of all the progress.
When the elements open up a previously closed area in Wyoming Territory, near their home and they find bones it's just what they need. This is just the opportunity her father needs to further his career during the competitive Bone Wars, and it's working. He's got permission to do his dig and no one else is permitted in this area, then exciting bones are found. When her father falls ill and rapidly declines Anna Lakeman is not only upset about her father's career advancement, thinking someone may take it from him but she's very worried about this health. She is determined to go it alone and do the digging for her father. When her former beau shows up the hurt feelings come rushing back, they had a big misunderstanding but now he's back.
Doctor in training Joshua Ziegler left to forget his feeling for Anna but upon returning they both realize the feelings are still there. There is a bit of a mystery when Joshua's nephew goes missing. Is he in danger and what happened to him?
A very intriguing story, I also enjoyed the historical aspect of it and can't wait to read more in this series.

Pub Date 26 Sep 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn’t think I would enjoy this book but I decided to try it. Dinosaurs aren’t my favorite subject but I do like Ms Woodhouse’s books.
Turns out it was a good book. Interesting to see what happened to a person who was made to feel worthless his entire life. Also some good insight to paleontology!

I was excited to find out that Kimberley Woodhouse had a new series releasing and the first book from the Treasures of the Earth series, The Secrets Beneath, does not disappoint. Five stars.

WOW!! This is an outstanding book!! It has just the right amount of mystery, suspense, faith and romance to keep you turning the pages. I loved all the interesting facts the author includes in the book plus I'm a huge fan of dinosaurs. This book was the perfect read for me!
I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I always know when I read a Woodhouse book that I will get a book jammed pack with an organic faith message. She always delivers so many truths on the page and this one was no different. I loved this little dino adventure book. I learned a lot! But also, can we talk about that little plot twist in there? I won't spoil it for anyone, but oh my word it was so well done!!

My thoughts: SECRETS BENEATH is Ms. Woodhouse's most recent book and as usual it is filled with historical facts that are amazing and I never knew about and intrique and mystery, and of course, a romance. Fans will be anxious to get their hands on this book. This wasn't my favorite of Ms. Woodhouse's books, but I can't say why. Maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind. But I still enjoyed the read and trying to figure the mystery out. Sweet ending. Recommended. I was given a copy free and all opinions are my own.

Awesome read!

I wasn't sure if a story about digging up dinosaur bones could be exciting. But, the author does an amazing job of bringing plenty of mystery and suspense to keep you turning the pages.

I loved the main characters and the setting was perfect. This was an amazing start to this new series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

Wow! Once again, Kimberly Woodhouse pens a story full of creativity! There's so much going on: mystery, intrigue, murder, multiple personalities, missing people, and love! I thought this was just a book about a female paleontologist, and boy, was I surprised!

The characters are relatable! Anna drove me a little crazy with her indecisiveness, but the relationship with her father made her likeable! Joshua is awesome, in my opinion. He's committed to his family, and he looks out for everyone. He's also a hard worker, and he sees things others overlook. Julian- wow. I won't add spoilers, but he's someone who's been hurt in the past and deals with his pain in the best way he can.

I liked learning about paleontology; it's always been interesting to me. I enjoyed the excerpts from Earl Douglas. They contributed to the historical fiction and added depth.

I was provided a copy of the book from NetGalley through Bethany House. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Paleontology, suspense, a little romance. . . you'll find all of that all rolled up into one novel in Kimberly Woodhouse's bool The Secrets Beneath! Why have we never seen a Christian book series about paleontology before? For those who love the subject and everything natural history but from a biblical worldview -- this is the series for you! A woman in a man's world, Anna Lakeman works alongside her paleontologist father on a dig, but obstacle after obstacle seem to get in the way. You'll find everything from sabatoge to the race to discovery before other paleontologists to the struggle with Darwinism. It's both lighthearted and heavy at the same time., and definitely hard to put down because you want to know what's going to happen next! I absolutely loved this one and I'm buying it for my paleontology loving daughter as a Christmas gift! I'll also be recommending to others looking for something a little different from their normal read. Can't go wrong with this one!

Thanks NetGalley and Bethany House for this ARC!

WOW! What an incredible awesome book The Secrets Beneath by Kimberley Woodhouse is. Filled with flash floods, dinosaur bones, missing children, mental illness, kidnapping, romance, and faith. All of this, and more will keep you glued to this story filled with suspense from beginning to end. There are two themes that stand out in this story. The first one is to love others as God loves us, and the second is forgiveness.

I have read several historical Christian books by Kimberly Woodhouse, but this one captured me like none of her previous works. She picked a wonderful subject for the first book in this series, women in the field of Paleontology. I felt what Anna felt being swept through the waters of the flash flood, her excitement in discovering the dinosaur bones, her anxiety over not being considered knowledgeable in the field she loves due to her sex, and her feelings for Joshua. Kimberly Woodhouse kept me on the edge of my seat throughout with her outstanding prose, character development, and scenic description.

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley. I was not obligated to write a positive review.

Thank you Bethany House Fiction, NetGalley, and AustenProse PR for my electronic copy. My opinions are my own.

So much tragedy. So much struggle. This book is about suffering but also about victory and love.

Trigger warnings: gender-based violence, child abuse, emotional abuse, missing loved one

"The Secrets Beneath" is a beautifully written and captivating story written by Kimberley Woodhouse. The setting of late 19th century Wyoming was very well-researched and was described with details that help the reader to clearly see what is happening in the story. The author has done great work creating characters who feel three-dimensional and like real people along with personalities, thoughts, emotions, and flaws of their own. The character development was done so well! I really enjoyed following these characters on their personal and emotional journeys and seeing them grow and change as people. After reading I feel that I've learned so much about the Paleontology scene during that time period. This is a story that focuses on the themes of: love, friendship, faith, and hope. The speed of the plot was great, the author's writing style is smooth, and the story was always interesting and was a page-turner! This is a story that is original, very well-researched/written, and has a lot of heart and emotional depth. A must read! I very highly recommend "The Secrets Beneath"! I can't wait to read more from this author. Thank you very much to Austenprose PR, author Kimberley Woodhouse, Bethany House, and NetGalley for the wonderful opportunity of joining this book tour and for providing me with a digital and physical copy of "The Secrets Beneath" to read and review honestly.