THE ENDING?! I need more right now. I knew it was a trilogy going in but I did not expect it to end that way. Jess has so much in her past that she needs to work through before her and Troy can be an actual couple but I like where they are at now. It's funny that it's called one more secret but she doesn't tell Troy any of her secrets. I trust that it will be done well in the other books.

The reason it's not five stars is because I don't understand the point of the chapters from the journal. The girls story seems very irrelevant to Jess and Troy. I'm assuming it will make sense in future books but for now it's pointless.

I received an arc through netgalley.

TW: abuse(past), PTSD

With 50 pages left I knew that there was no way this book was ending. I knew this was a part one going in but I thought the other two would be spin offs of another character. The book was good but I’m not a fan of three books in one. When I’m in I’m all in. I’m curious how it all plays out. Although I’m not a fan of broken up stories I’ll more than likely continue with the series. The book had good writing and interesting characters a some suspense.

The story of Jessica touches my heart. In hiding, Jessica wants to start all over again after being wrongfully convicted. All her insecurities, of her marriage, betrayal in her youth and trust issues with the authorities unfold step by step in the book. Slowly Jessica expanding her circle of friends. You will recognize characters from her other books if you read Ms. Lindenblatt before. This is a bonus, but for me a bit confusing as where to place tis book between the other ones I read so far.

Jessica also starts to trust a persistent guy who recognizes her symptoms of PTSD and who wants to help her heal. Troy is a likable character that hopefully grows more in the next two books. The relationship develops in a good pace

The second storyline is intriguing as well. It is set in WW II and seems to be researched well.

The writing style of Lindenblatt is pretty intense. The present-day story as well as the historical storyline ends in cliffhangers, as this is book one in a trilogy. The cliffhanger of the present-day story is not very original, though. I appreciated the explanations of the author at the beginning in the Author's notes, and the Acknowledgements at the end of the book. And the writing of the author has matured significantly compared to the earlier books I read. I'm definitely looking forward to reading book 2 which is expected early 2024.

This is my honest review in exchange for an ARC of the e-book.

✨📖REVIEW📖✨
One More Secret by Stina Lindenblatt (@stinalindenblatt)
ARC generously provided for an honest review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

WHAT I THOUGHT:
I was so invested in this book that I had to message the author halfway through and tell her I couldn't put it down. It is so well written and so suspenseful. I could really picture the settings and feel the FMC's grief and sadness. It does end on a cliffhanger and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one.

⤷Dual POV
⤷Dual timeline (with a twist/historical)
⤷First person
⤷Open door scenes

SIMILAR READS:
✧ Tattered Starts by Catherine Cowles
✧ All I Have Left by Shey Stahl

YOU'LL LIKE THIS IF YOU LIKE:
💕Small town
💕Ex-military MMC
💕Falsely accused FMC (as far as we know)
💕Historical romance

I was completely captivated from the first page, and couldn't put the book down until I finished.
"Jessica" has been released from prison, after being wrongfully incarcerated for the killing of her abusive husband. Scared, alone, and desperate to escape the media frenzy her release sparks, a friend finds her a house to rent in a small town. Throughout the course of the book Jess's story is revealed and the challenges she faces are explored and worked on. Jess slowly starts to make friends and find herself, but something is always holding her back from truly letting go of her past. What she can't figure out is if it is just the memories, or is someone out to get her?
Loved the characters, flaws and all. The plot is amazing, definitely not your typical abused wife finds a new life story. There are sub plots that enhance the story, and somehow they all flow together seamlessly. As the author points out this is Part 1, so be ready for a MAJOR cliffhanger at the end. Cannot wait for Book 2.
This is a must read for anyone looking for an excited read with action, mystery, romance, friendship, and self discovery.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

So did not realize this was part of a series. The ending completely caught me off guard. When I was about about 80% through the book I was wondering how she was going to wrap it up and now I have to wait!

4 1/2 stars

This book was everything to me! The way it was written to the plot, to even everything about the characters I loved! Not to mention The transitions between chapters was perfect!
This book made me laugh, cry, squirm, everything! But you left me on a cliffhanger 😫 and now I need the next book like NOW! Aha. Seriously though, this will be a series I continue to read!

Jessica and Troy. The angsty romance focuses on Jessica and her trauma from both a past abusive relationship and a jail stint for murder. We spend a lot more time in her mind than in Troy’s. He is apparently an all-around good guy, a retired SEAL, very protective, with a renovation business in this small town. His focus is on other service people and their experiences of PTSD. Jessica is gorgeous, but clearly traumatised and he is drawn to her. There is a lot (a LOT!) going on here - a secondary story that Jessica finds hidden in the house she buys, her journey through trauma, who killed her ex, is she safe in her new home, can she recover, and so on…

There’s light as well though, with her charming home renovation, a gorgeous small town, friendly side characters, several gorgeous dogs and obvious chemistry with Troy, but is she too damaged for him, and is she just someone for him to save?

This is a cliffhanger, not a standalone. The three book set gives plenty of time and space to set out all the characters and challenges - but we will have to wait for the next two to see if it all pans out.

Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC.

I am huge fan of Ms. Lindenblatt's books. This book was a little hard for me to get interested in. The story felt very long. I wasn't a fan of the cliffhanger at the end.