Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I loved the movie Fatal Attraction when I watched it way back when. It’s a classic for a reason not least because of Glenn Close’s performance as a wronged mistress who goes off the deep end. I had only wished that the wife in that movie would have left Michael Douglas’s character and made him suffer in turn. Our Little Secret hits all the best notes of Fatal Attraction while also giving me some insight into the after, which was excellent. Brooke was a believable character and I appreciated her journey throughout the affair, and especially after. Neal was less enjoyable but he needed to be written like this so I’d understand Brooke’s motivation. And Gideon was a villain who could almost hold his own with Glenn in the movie. And Brooke’s sister Leah was, put simply, the absolute worst.

Now, I’ll admit I misread the description as gender bending versus genre bending so was a little confused as to what was to come and how it could possibly be done, but I must say not having gender bending worked out for this particular story. The only thing I didn’t quite get was why the storylines of the missing girls (Allison and Penelope) were brought into the story as they served little purpose either as believable red herrings or as mirrors for Marilee or anyone else in this story. Outside of this, this book brought me back to the classic (for me) cinema or Fatal Attraction with some of the comeuppance, done in a way I didn’t expect, that I’d wished that film had introduced.

Wow! This is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read. Edge of your seat suspense with no idea how it will end. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Lisa Jackson NEVER fails!! She has done it again! Such a great read. Had me from page 1. Such a page turner

Our Little Secret was a bit of a mixed bag for me. At first, I gotta admit, I was rolling my eyes a bit because the whole cheating spouse and creepy ex-boyfriend thing felt like something straight out of a soap opera. I mean, come on, can we get some originality here?

But despite my initial skepticism, I found myself getting surprisingly sucked into the story. It was like, once I started reading, I just couldn't stop. The writing style was super easy to breeze through, and before I knew it, I was zipping through the pages faster than I ever expected.

Sure, some of the plot twists were pretty predictable, but it was still kinda fun trying to guess what was gonna happen next. And even though I had my issues with the characters – seriously, none of them were all that likable – I still found myself getting weirdly invested in their drama.

That being said, the ending left a lot to be desired. It felt like everything just sorta wrapped up too quickly, you know? Like, I was left with all these unanswered questions, and it was kinda frustrating.

Thos book had its moments of excitement and suspense, but it also had its fair share of eye-roll-worthy clichés. If you're into drama and mystery, it might be worth a read, but don't expect it to be anything too groundbreaking.

Lisa Jackson, Our Little Secret, Kensington Publishing, June 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

I found this an extremely disappointing read that prolonged my frustration through repetition and a fairly predictable story line that meandered through family angst, infidelity, missing teenagers, the main character’s internal arguments, and obsession. None of the characters was pleasant, the main protagonist combining immense self-regard, inability to take responsibility for dealing with life threatening events and folly. In particular, Brooke appears to recognise the possible dangers to her daughter but is so concerned to keep her secret these become secondary in all of her actions to deal with the problem she has initiated.

Brooke has been having an affair with Gideon, partially because of her husband’s suspected infidelity and their separation. Although she tries to end the affair as her marriage improves, her daughter’s problems surface, and her relationship with her sister, always fraught deteriorates, she is unsuccessful.

The book is divided into two parts, the second beginning with a family Christmas at the holiday home the sisters have inherited from their grandmother. It has family significance and Brooke’s desire to keep it in her possession is at risk. And, repeating the theme of Part One, so too is her marriage and her relationships with her daughter, sister and her new fiancé. The end of the novel resolves Brooke’s problems dealt with at length throughout. However, is she going to accept this or embroil herself in more angst?

It is a while since I have read a Lisa Jackson novel. From recall, I found previous novels acceptable beach reads, so was pleased to have the opportunity to read Our Little Secret. This novel did not reach my expectations and I do not feel tempted to try again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Our Little Secret by Lisa Jackson due to be published June 25, 2024.
Brooke Harmon had an affair with Gideon Ross and realized she made a huge mistake. When she breaks up with him, Gideon will not let go easily. He insists they were meant to be together and that he will do anything to keep her. Gideon seems to know where she is always. Is he as dangerous as he seems?
When I started reading this, I definitely got some “Fatal Attraction” vibes! Great characters in this one – Brooke, her psychotic sister, Leah, her husband, Neal, and of course Gideon. What a wild ride! Even though Brooke brought this on herself, I felt sorry for her terror and chaos in her life. One way or another you and I, Brooke, will be together. Forever. I will never let you go. It had me hooked from the beginning – the twists kept coming with Brooke, her family, and her “stalker”. Wow – you will not want to miss this one!
#NetGalley #LisaJackson #KensingtonPublishing #OurLittleSecret

Did you hear that earth shattering scream? Yup, that was me . You know the feeling when your entire body tingles ?

No.
Not an orgasm, but definitely the second best thing ! I have one of my most sought after books of 2024 in my greedy little paws ….. Our Little Secret

Netgalley, you are what dreams are made of .

Lisa Jackson, is a common favorite amongst bookstagram and I have been driving the Jackson train for awhile now . I started with The Last Sinner, and have been hooked ever since.

Ok, back to Our Little Secret.

Holy smoke Gideon ! 👀 you are a bad bad boy . All kidding aside, this book is what nightmares are made of and a true psychological thriller that will blow your mind

What is your favorite Jackson book? Mine is You Don’t Want to Know .

Teaser :

He swore he’d never let her go. She should have believed him.


Brooke Harmon is ready to end her brief affair. Gideon Ross is charming and sexy, but he’s not worth throwing away everything she holds dear. So she breaks it off, hoping Gideon will understand.

He doesn’t. Gideon insists that he and Brooke are meant to be together. Finally, he backs off, but not before issuing a promise: he’ll never let her go.

Little more than a year later, Brooke wants to believe it’s all behind her. Her family has survived intact. Gideon has vanished.

But the fear hasn’t disappeared. Brooke can’t tell how much of it is paranoia, and how much is justified, but she’s worried. And maybe she’s right to be.

Because Gideon is a man who keeps his promises . . .

I wanted to love Our Little Secret because I'm a big fan of Lisa Jackson's novels, but this one fell short for me. Brooke is married to Neal but had an affair with Gideon, who is more dangerous than she could have imagined. When she tries to break things off, he refuses to let her go and she realizes that her life and her daughter's life are in danger. Combined with a car accident that she caused and the reappearance of her troubled sister, Brooke is sent into a downward spiral that only intensifies when the extent of Gideon's obsession becomes increasingly terrifying.

It has been a hot minute since I've read a Lisa Jackson book. Not quite sure why as I loved her previous books and read them all. This is a stand alone novel set in Seattle. Brooke is married to Neal and they have a 14 year old daughter, Marilee. Brooke and Neal's marriage has been more down than up and Brooke blames Neal's supposed affairs on this. So, when Brooke meets Gideon Ross in the market, she embarks on a 6 week affair with him. During this time her daughter is seeking her independence as she enters the tumultuous teen years, 2 girls have gone missing in town, and her husband works late frequently. Brooke finally comes to her senses and decides she wants to save her family and marriage and goes to break things off with Gideon. However, Gideon has other ideas. No one is going to leave him. As a very controlling person, he tells her if he can't have her, no one will. While all of this is going on, Brookes sister, Leah, comes to visit. The two sisters have never gotten along and Leah has made awful mistakes marrying one loser after another.

Brooke's life descends into a pit of despair as Gideon starts to psychologically torment her. He watches the house and tells her he's following her daughter. He seems to know every move they make or plan to make and it's making her a wreck. She has no idea how to get rid of him. In the meantime, she suspects her husband is having another affair and her daughter is drifting even further away. What will happen?

This book was very suspenseful. Great characterization, even though I didn't like all the characters, especially Leah. There were many well placed twists and turns and I admired Brooke's strength. My only downside with the book was the setting. I'm used to Jackson's books being set in these perfectly chilling places. This one was not but I suppose some books are just set in houses throughout America. I missed that New Orleans feeling. Otherwise, I loved this book and would highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it.

I had mixed feelings about this book. At first, I was indifferent due to the overused plot involving a cheating spouse and a stalker ex-boyfriend. However, as I continued reading, the plot became more engaging, and I was hooked. The book was easy to read, and I zipped through the pages. However, I felt some plot twists were predictable and the ending felt too abrupt. I was still satisfied with the story as a whole for my first Lisa Jackson’s book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Kensington Publishing for my copy

Brooke’s marriage has seen peaks and valleys. There’s been broken promises, affairs and their love has waned. Their teenage daughter is in one of those stages her parents are barely coping with. Another missing girl from the Seattle high school has frightened all the kids and their parents. Brooke has made a serious mistake thinking a short fling is easy to walk away from. She keeps wanting to put her family back together and make her marriage work. Her lover doesn’t see it the same way. Her estranged sister unexpectedly makes a visit. There are layers of animosity and years of resentment between them. Brooke’s life becomes a nightmare of secrets and lies when her lover begins stalking her family, threatening and insinuating himself into her everyday life. He is relentless and creepy! I was a nervous wreck with her increasing danger. The situations are terrifying. Most of the characters are likable despite the flaws and mistakes. There is one crisis after another as the suspense builds to an unbearable crescendo. I suspected how the plot would unravel but, it took on a whole different trajectory. It’s an action packed story that kept me guessing.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of “Our Little Secret” by Lisa Jackson, Kensington Publishing, expected publication 06/25/2024. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

My "little secret" is that this book is absolutely binge worthy. The perfect domestic thriller that will keep readers turning the page with lots of drama and the nightmarish consequences of an affair. Everyone has their own little secret and each character is crafted to make the reader loathe them which helps heighten the suspense. This is the perfect read with a friend so you have someone to discuss the plot with!

Our Little Secret by Lisa Jackson is fast-paced, engaging domestic drama featuring the aftermath of an affair gone wrong. Included is family, friends, adultery, stalking. liars, cheating, and obsession, oh my! The characters, Brooke, her husband Neal, sister Leah, and daughter Marilee who are all self-absorbed and have secrets. Shep is the only truly likable character. The ending did seem to be rushed and just a bit disappointing.
Thank you to the author, Kensington Publishing, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This book is full of liars and cheats. Obsession is a big theme in this book. There’s a lot of drama. I can’t say I really liked any of the characters. They are all self absorbed. The writing is good. Lisa Jackson always writes a satisfying read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The title of this book is definitely perfect. Everyone has secrets including Brooke, her husband Neal, her sister Leah and her daughter Marilee. Brooke’s life becomes a nightmare after she breaks up with the man she was having an affair with. Gideon will stop at nothing to get her back. This is a book that’s hard to put down.

Brooke is married with a fourteen year old daughter. She lost her job and the money she had invested with it. She decides to end her affair with Gideon, a guy she met six weeks ago. He tells her he’ll never let her go. He starts stalking her and showing up at her house as a pizza delivery guy. He is everywhere she is. They get into a fight and Gideon is shot but he gets out of the water and disappears.
A year later the family is going to the cabin by the beach for Christmas. Has Gideon really given up or is Brooke letting her paranoia get the best of her.
I’m not a fan of books where there is cheating. Also not a fan of books told in only one point of view. But I couldn’t stop reading it. It will keep you turning the pages until the end. I give it a three and a half stars.

* Voluntarily read and reviewed for Netgalley *

Our Little Secret by Lisa Jackson is a thriller that delves into the consequences of an affair gone wrong. Brooke Hastings decides to end her affair with Gideon Ross, believing it's not worth jeopardizing her marriage and family. However, Gideon is unwilling to let her go and becomes increasingly obsessed with her. The story jumps ahead six years, with Brooke hoping that Gideon is finally out of her life. But when strange events start happening, Brooke begins to question if her fear of Gideon is justified. The author writes a complex and suspenseful narrative, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they try to unravel the truth behind Gideon's intentions. The story is fast paced and engaging, making this novel a thrilling read from start to finish!

This talented author has written a page turner. When I see Jackson's name on the cover, I know I am in for a story of intrigue. I wish wish wish that authors would leave out the language because it does not add to the story. That being said, this is a cannot put down novel of mystery and intrigue with realistic characters. Even the title is intriguing. OUR LITTLE SECRET...guessing didn't make the ending known too early. Family and friends...adultery...stalking...frightening events...Thanks Netgalley.

Brooke Hastings is married to Neal and together they have a 14-year-old daughter Marilee, she also has a sister Leah of whom she has at times has had a tumultuous relationship with but still wishes them to remain close. Leah has a history of bad marriages and seems to be more in love with the idea of being in love, often choosing men that will eventually hurt her and cause major drama in her life.

One day Brooke meets Gideon Ross, straight away she is attracted to him, not only by his good looks but also his charismatic personality and soon she embarks on an affair with him not worrying about the consequences. Roll forward six weeks and Brooke decides to end the affair, but Gideon has other ideas saying they are meant to be together forever.

Soon Brooke’s life becomes a living nightmare as Gideon begins to extract his revenge, at the same time teenage Marilee is beginning to cause angst as teenagers always do and Brooke is also concerned about her daughter as two girls in their area have been reported missing in the last 12 months and one of these quite recently.

The book kept me entertained, you find yourself wrapped up in all the drama that has now becomes Brooke’s life and I did stay up late last night to finish it as I wanted to see what would happen in the end. The characters portrayed are realistic, this does not mean they are all likeable, for me I especially found Leigh really irritating, but they all strongly assist in bringing the story to life. Enjoyable but not mind blowing. 3.5 stars rounded up to four.

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this novel! My first Lisa Jackson read and I cannot wait to try more. This story had me hooked from the beginning until the end. Continuous suspense flowed through the pages. It's one of those plots you think you have figured out (and may have) but you still want to devour it. Intriguing, eventful, and plot driven there is no need for a bookmark. Once you start, you'll not want to stop. I was hoping for a bigger bang at the end, but I am satisfied with the story as a whole.
Thanks to Kensington Publishing for an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I hope to read more like this one.