I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘We All Keep Secrets’ written by Sheryl Browne in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Ellie is employed as a Nanny by Jake and Megan Harington to care for their children Ollie and Fern. As soon as Ellie walks into their modernistic house with glass walls she can hear ferocious arguments between Jake and Megan that are escalating and Megan’s comments to her are so cruel and unjust that she fears she’s made a mistake taking the job. Ellie wonders if the previous Nanny, Phoebe, was treated in a similar manner and wants to know what happened to her.

‘We All Keep Secrets’ is a psychological thriller that commences with Ellie accused of something she says she’s not responsible for. The story is told through the eyes of the three main characters, Ellie, Jake and Megan, as we learn more about Ellie’s past and the toxic secret Jake and Megan are keeping. Some parts didn’t ring true as Ellie naïvely sneaks around looking at Megan’s belongings, washes her hair in Megan’s private bathroom and uses her make-up when she must realise she’ll be found out. But the further I read the more difficult it becomes to decide who’s telling the truth, Jake or Megan. This is an exciting thriller with lots of suspense and intrigue that’s had me gripped from the first page to the last and concludes with a final unexpected twist as it’s revealed what happened to Phoebe.

This is one book that will stay with me for life. Honestly I am still Shook!! You know no matter how many times you think you've figured out whats happening/whos to blame you get shocked and I swear this happens right till the last chapter! The twists you will NOT see coming! I thought the characters where superb and at times I hated everyone of them and then other times I felt sorry for them, but then back to hating them again it was crazy. I'd also like to mention the way the author has written this book in the different sections and from each characters perspective, well I just felt this made the story truly spectacular!
This author is definitely up there in my favourite authors and when they bring out their next book I will definitely be reading it as soon as possible!

Sure to be a Bestseller!

What a great story. Kept me intrigued and entertained. The view from each of the main characters allowed for a more in-depth look at how events unfolded. Definitely recommend!

Megan and Jake hire 21 year old Ellie to be their nanny for their 2 children Ollie and Fern. Right from the start it is clear that Megan isn’t keen on Ellie and is determined to make her life as difficult and unpleasant as possible.

Soon it becomes clear to Ellie that there are huge cracks in Megan and Jake’s relationship and that they are hiding a deep and dark secret, but they’re not the only ones. Ellie knows what Megan and Jake are hiding, and they know her secrets too.

It’s very clear from the start that Megan and Jake lives are up in the air and soon Ellie finds herself dragged right to the centre of their drama. When tragedy strikes and Ellie hears the words “it was the nanny, she’s guilty” sadly for Ellie the secret from her past comes back to haunt her and she has a fight in her hand to prove her innocence.

This book is told mainly from Ellie’s point of view, then later on in the book (around the half way mark) you start to get chapters that are told from Megan and Jakes perspective.

I was really enjoying this book up until this point, then I found it started getting quite repetitive as Megan was telling what she had witnessed of Ellie which was near enough exactly what Ellie had said and I felt like at the half way point I was starting from the beginning again and I found I was getting frustrated and slightly bored.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review. Although it wasn’t 100% right for me I very much enjoyed the beginning and found I was straight away drawn in, it’s just a shame that didn’t captivate me the whole way through, however this may not be the case for other readers.

This was my first Sheryl Browne book. I hadn’t realized she was a British author until I started reading. This was also my first British book in general which was both educating and exciting. I had to laugh at myself a couple times when pausing my reading to google certain words and phrases to find their American/Canadian equivalents. “Hey siri, what is a bedsit?”

The prologue sucked me right in. Usually I don’t start wondering “what’s going on” until later in a book, but this one had me wondering from page 1. I was hoping at some point we would have got a chapter about what exactly went down with Phoebe. A POV from Jake or even Phoebe herself, would have been nice.

I did enjoy the authors character development of Ellie and how we got a glimpse of her trauma from the past and how it still affects her life now. But, I didn’t like Ellie as a whole. She started off seeming sweet and innocent, but quickly broke Megan’s trust. Even through all the POV’s I still found it hard to connect with any of the characters.

The narration of the book was well done, but i was hoping for more of a thrill. Finding out what happened to Phoebe seemed to be the only glimmer of suspense.

I have read very similar storylines and because those ones had me not able to put the book down, compared to this one, I have to give this book 2.5 starts rounded up to 3.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of We All Have Secrets by Sheryl Browne in exchange for my honest review.

There re some stories your immediately have characters you love and believe and others you hate deeply and on't trust them one little bit. And then there are those stories where you don't know who to trust or believe because they make your head spin. One moment you are convinced they are the despicable ones and a few pages later you are convinced they are in fact the victims of some scheming others.

I can assure you that i tottally had ont one clue who to believe and who to dislike. The thoughts in my mind were moving around like clothes in a washing machine on the spin cycle. I honestly did not know who manipulated who and this is so great. It makes you have to wait until the last pages to uncover the truth.

And then that truth shocks you, because there is still a surprise that has been left until the end to unbox. I love it. :)

So yes, once again miss Browne has had met glued to my chair, enchanted by her story.

Great author, wonderful narrator, very enjoyable book. 5 stars

Thank you

Ellie Taylor has a dead-end job in the office run by the dynamic Jake Harington, until she mentions that she has some experience with childcare. Jake and his wife Megan both have very busy lives, and they are looking for someone to look after their six year old son and baby daughter.

It seems like the perfect solution to everyone's problems when Ellie begins working for the couple in their lavish home. Except that nothing is really as it seems.

Just as Ellie has not been honest with Jake and Megan, the most she observes it, the more their dream lifestyle seems to be more of a nightmare. Their relationship is toxic, and while Jake is over-friendly towards any, Megan is almost hostile.

Since come to ahead when baby Fern disappears, and Ellie is blamed. Her earlier mistakes come back to haunt her as the situation snowballs. But as every domestic worker can tell you, Ellie knows just as much about what her employers are hiding as they do about her secrets...

This story uses multiple POV, which works up to a point. I preferred the first half of the story, which is told in Ellie's voice, because some bits in the second half - told in Jake and Megan's perspectives - felt repetitive.

Overall though, this is an interesting read, with multiple twists delivered at just the right times. I give it 3.5 stars.

We All Keep Secrets" by Sheryl Browne is an enthralling roller-coaster of a read that had me utterly captivated.
Browne truly has a knack for crafting top-tier domestic thrillers!
With a narrative shared through multiple perspectives and a cast of intriguing characters, the plot unravels with incredible momentum. The escalating tension ensures that, at a certain point, it's simply infeasible to set the book aside.
A heady mix of concealed truths, deception, and tumultuous relationships craft an irresistible narrative in "We All Keep Secrets." This expertly spun tale is bound to rob you of sleep, ensuring you're hooked till the very end.
Having experienced Browne's literary prowess in her previous works, this book reaffirms her unmatched talent in delivering swift-paced narratives with unexpected twists that leave readers on tenterhooks.

A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me an early peek into this masterpiece. Your generosity is much appreciated, and this is my sincere review in return.

This is a disturbing story, in which no one seems blameless or entirely at fault. The first half is told from the childminder's point of view, then we get both of her employers'... mostly on the same scenes, so I must admit I found it a little too repetitive at times, although there are things that definitely needed to be shown that way. Consequently, it's not my favourite of Sheryl Browne's books, but I did enjoy it anyway and she remains one of my favourite authors.

We All Keep Secrets by Sheryl Browne
(Narrated by Tamsin Kennard)

Utterly gripping, lots of secrets and twisty thriller.

Ellie was hired as the nanny in the Haringtons family to look after Fern (the baby girl) and Ollie. Jake Harington was overly friendly to Ellie while his wife Megan Harington kept blaming her while she did nothing wrong.

But things went wrong. Ellie stared at the crib and she was failed to keep Fern safe. Ellie’s past was going to be revealed too.

The secrets that everyone was keeping were the core of the story. The twists were wonderfully placed and the plots got thickened! I was hooked from the beginning.

Another fantastic book by Sheryl Browne.
The is told from multiple points of view.
Megan and Jake both have busy lives, they hire Ellie to look after Ollie and their baby girl Fern.
I found this book very addictive and couldn’t put it down, it had me on the edge of my seat right to the very end. Every time I thought I had it figured out I was wrong which made me want to keep reading more and more.
If you like Freida McFaddens’s the housemaid, then you will love this book.
I love Sheryl Browne writing style and can’t wait to read her next book.

I would like the thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Sheryl Browne for the advance copy for a honest review.

We All Keep Secrets by Sheryl Browne was a gripping, fast paced read that had me completely hooked.
Browne writes the absolute best domestic suspense!
The story is told from multiple POVs and has many very interesting characters.
The intensity was such that by the time the tension has built, the book is impossible to put down.
Secrets, lies and toxic relationships make for a delicious domestic thriller and We All Keep Secrets is a cleverly woven tale that will keep you up all night.
Another fantastic book and I've just loved all of Sheryl's books especially as was fast paced throughout with great twists and turns that just had you sitting on the edge of the seat.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Alright, I was really excited about “We All Keep Secrets”. The opening chapters and the first half of the book, told from Ellie’s POV, the story was ramping up, although it did begin to drag on. The second half of the book, told from both Jack’s and Megan’s POV, I found myself tuning out, thinking, “I’ve already heard this”.

I typically enjoy a little different perspective, but only if it actually adds MORE to the story, not just repeating it and filling in the cracks.

I did not care for any of the characters. Ellie was 100% not relatable. Like, it’s the first time babysitting for someone and you go through their things and wash your hair?? Who does that?? And just willingly moves in basically without knowing hardly anything about these people?! And projects herself into their relationship?
Megan was a complete b*#+h - she really began to grate on my nerves, the way that she acted towards Ellie. And Jack? He’s just a narcissistic a**.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Pub Date: 6 Nov 2023

“You’ve got it wrong.”

Domestic suspense author Sheryl Browne explores dysfunctional relationships, specifically, the damage of deception and relationship betrayal. She shows readers how it’s possible for secrets and lies, even single untruths, to jeopardize trust and lead to co-dependent relationships.

Megan and Jake Harrington hire 21-year-old Ellie Taylor to care for their six-year-old boy, Ollie, and three-month-old baby, Fern, after their au pair leaves them stranded. It’s all going well…until it isn’t. Ellie has no idea, no understanding of the depth and the width of what she has become part of, and has no idea how to stop it once she realizes it. From the beginning, every one of Browne’s characters is deceptive and it’s up to the reader to wade through the ambiguity, half-truths, manipulation, secrets, and lies to figure out the truth.

I loved the multiple POVs and was immediately hooked by the prologue. When the plot took a sinister twist and I didn’t approve of a character’s actions, it was the spectacular writing and plotting that kept me interested. I loved seeing things from different points of view and laughed each time I realized I was pointing fingers at the wrong ‘suspect’. Clever. Browne uses the metaphor, ‘the snowball effect,’ to show readers the damage that a single untruth holds when it gains momentum, and grows in significance and intensity, resulting in a big impact.

Browne’s examination of toxic relationships will leave you gobsmacked.

A good read. Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book. Will look out for her other books.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for this advance copy in exchange for my review.

I could not have been happier when this one was approved for early reading!
I absolutely love Sheryl and think her books sadly do not get the attention they deserve.

This book follows the POVs of Ellie (the babysitter) and married couple and parents Jake & Megan. Each POV will have you convinced that they are the reliable narrator up until the POV switches to the next person and then your opinion changes. It's literary gaslighting and it's FANTASTIC.
About half way through once we leave only Ellie's POV and switch to Megan's, it was nice to have some of the holes filled in (example how Ellie got the new car.)
I both loved and hated every character, I still don't know who was telling the truth, and my brain is broken in the best possible way.

Wow - really could not guesswhere this book was going - so many twists and turns. Firts time reading a book from Sheryl Browne and i was not disappointed - i could not decide who to believe.

Fantastic book and ending. Highly recommended.

I don't normally think of myself as indecisive. If I have to buy, let's say, a greetings card in a shop, I'm not one of those people that will stand for hours looking at every single card. Instead I'll do what I understand is the typical man thing: grab something that will do and get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. Similarly, when it comes to choosing my next holiday destination, I can normally pick somewhere fairly quickly. And whilst I haven't decided on the colour scheme for the new kitchen that I'll soon be having fitted - chiefly because if you discount blue, which I have, the remaining choices are grey, grey, grey, beige and beige - I do know that I couldn't care less which one Mrs Book Nook finally decides to go for.

Recently, though, I've had cause to doubt myself. At work, I'm being chased to issue a quote that I promised a week ago because I really can't decide how best to carry out the work that needs pricing. Back at home, I'm genuinely torn between booking dinner in our local pub on Christmas Day, because that seems like the right thing to do, or booking it on the day before or the day after instead, when the same food served to two people in the same establishment will cost almost £100 less.

I had hoped that reading an ARC of We All Keep Secrets by Sheryl Browne would give me the opportunity to redeem myself. Sheryl is an author that I know personally and whose books I normally love. This time, though ... I'm sorry. But I can't quite decide how I feel about this either.

It all begins with the prologue. On the one hand, it's one hell of a hook. And it means that in the first chapter, as we are transported back to six months earlier, I absolutely wanted to read more about Ellie and her engagement as a babysitter to Jake and Megan who are clearly in a toxic relationship, and find out just what led up to that dreadful event. But on the other hand, it also means that whilst tension is there in abundance - we want to plead with the young and naive Ellie, scream at her not to do what she's about to do - the mystery is missing, because we kind of know what's coming. Call me greedy, but I wanted both.

There's also the point that, having had about the first half of the book narrated by Ellie, we then read the same events from either Jake or Megan's perspective. Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't mind the repetition. To me, hearing two different accounts, and two different explanations of the same thing added nicely to the intrigue and left me to wonder - as was clearly the author's intention - just who is really telling the truth? Is anyone?

My problem here is that many of the issues raised in this part of the book appear to be addressed very quickly and - highly unusually for a Sheryl Browne novel - not particularly sensitively. Is Megan really suffering from untreated post-natal depression, or is she genuinely psychotic? I think I'd have liked to have known how I was supposed to feel. The same point really applies to Ellie's own back story. I couldn't help wishing either that she'd done something far worse than what she actually did, and been horrified at the very thought of any child being anywhere near her, or for her background to have been told in more detail in a way that had me spending the rest of the book wanting to hug her. But what we actually get is something sort of between the two, and not quite powerful enough to trigger either of those reactions.

Then we get to the ending, which again feels a little rushed, as if there are just a few pages left to try and paint one of the characters in a slightly different light. Clearly the uncertainty here was intentional, and in that respect, it's very well done. But at the same time, it left me quite confused and as a result, a little - just a little - bit dissatisfied.

And finally, there's the blurb. Even if I hadn't already been a fan of the author, this would have been enough to have me wanting to read the book. But it's really not accurate. The first meeting at Jake and Megan's house doesn't go anything like as described. Was the blurb written for an earlier draft of the book and someone forgot to update it, I wonder?

This is starting to sound like quite a negative review, but that's not the whole story. Because I haven't even begun to convey how fully I became absorbed into this book, how easily and effortlessly it had me turning the pages or how I wanted to carry on reading at the expense of all else. I read this book on a weekend away in the caravan and devoured it in two sittings. Yes, some of my thoughts after finishing the book were critical but whilst reading it, I was too firmly hooked to really care.

I've been wondering even as I wrote this review how I was going to conclude it, but I think I've just got there. Yes, there are a few details that don't quite hit the mark in the way that, on the one and only time I tried my hand at archery, some of my arrows missed the target. But that did nothing to stop me from hugely enjoying the experience, which is one that I'd happily repeat in a heartbeat.

My thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly. I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Megan and Jake Harington are busy parents each running their own business. Jake hires Ellie to be babysitter, although he works for her in his daily business. Ellie is amazed at their glass home and feels like a fish out of water, but she needs the extra money.

This marriage is toxic and these poor children are caught in the middle and need love and attention. Ellie wants to help even when Megan accuses her of things she does not do.

Jake and Megan both have secrets as the title suggest. Told in multiple points of view and you can’t decipher who it the good and who is the bad guy. So many twists and unexpected accusations kept me glued to this novel. Ellie is also hiding secrets from her past. Is it possible they all know each other’s secrets?

Brown has become a go-to for me for psychological suspense. Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Browne for this advanced copy. This heart-pounding thriller is available November 6, 2023.
#weallkeepsecrets, #sherylbrowne, #bookouture, #bookstagram, #booksconnectus, #stamperlady50, #bookreview

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, this book gave a little ''the housemaid'' vibes at first. I loved the writing style of this author, then, came a few POV changes, and sometimes it felt a bit repetitive. But it was an interesting read, even if I felt sad for Ellie at the end.