⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

I’ve read a few of Lisa Jackson’s books and I always like them. I haven’t picked one up in a while, and when I saw that she had a new book being released this month, I jumped on the chance to check it out. I’m so glad I did.

This book was filled with so many hateable characters. It’s perfect for this type of novel.

This book has it all…

🐾 Loyal Friend (🐶 - he lives btw) ❤️
😤An annoying irresponsible little sister
🧖‍♂️A steamy affair
👤A shady husband
🪟A stalker
🧍‍♀️An angsty teenage daughter
💨Missing young girls
📞Mysterious phone calls
👥👥Scum bags and suspects galore

Usually I’d say with a list like this, the author is doing too much BUT, as is the norm with Lisa Jackson books, she puts it all out there and weaves a story you won’t want to put down. Twisty success!

I mean, what more could you want!? I don’t want to give anything away but just know there is soooo much drama! I was soooo invested. Head was spinning about different theories and thoughts on who Brooke should trust.

It’s rare to find an author who can literally throw anything to the wall and IT STICKS! Sit back, get cozy and enjoy!

Brooke Harmon decides to end her affair with Gideon Ross. She wants to try and give her marriage to Neal a real chance. Neal is a lawyer who Brooke married when she became pregnant with her daughter Marilee. They seem to have drifted apart and Neal actually moved out for a few months, but now they were trying to make their marriage work. When Brooke tells Gideon they are finished, he doesn’t accept it and tells her they are meant to be together and he will never let her go. Brooke has mysterious messages appear on her burner phone, the one she used with Gideon, and also receives calls and threats from Gideon on it. Brooke is determined to keep the affair with Gideon a secret. Leah, Brooke’s sister, decides to visit. The two sisters have always had a difficult relationship. Leah has been married several times and always comes to Brooke and Neal asking for money. Leah also blames Brooke for her failed marriages, saying Brooke stole Neal away from her when they were younger. The story moves along quickly and I found myself anxious to see what would happen next. The characters were well written, but not particularly likable. The ending felt a bit rushed to me, like everything had to be wrapped up quickly and was a bit predictable but I still enjoyed the book. I have read most of Lisa Jackson’s books and usually really love them - this one was still good, just not one of my favorites. I give the book 3.5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is set to be published June 25, 2024.

If you’re looking for an easy read that you just want to read one more chapter because you want to see what craziness comes next, then this one is for you!

Brooke has an affair and she’s ready to end it but her lover vows that it will never be over between them. Even though Brooke is a cheater, she’s not the only one in family with that title.

I wanted more closure at the end to tie up a few remaining questions but all good things must come to an end.

Brooke Harmon thought that Gideon Ross was everything she wanted. Until he wasn’t. She is sure her husband Neal has been having an affair and they have had a trial separation. She wants to keep her family, Neal and their daughter Marilee, together. So she ends the relationship with Gideon. He tells her that he will never let her go and her means it. He shows up at school events, he watches her house and she’s sure he has broken in more than once. After one final showdown, he leaves. At least she thinks he has. Brooke is in for another surprise, one that will make Gideon closer than she could imagine.

Our Little Secret is a quick read, full of twists. Brooke is a somewhat sympathetic character, desperate to keep her husband from finding out about Gideon. She makes some questionable decisions. For instance, when you are terrified of an unhinged, obsessed stalker, it’s a good idea to keep your doors locked. Everyone in Our Little Secret is hiding something and the plot will keep you turning pages as fast as you can. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington and Lisa Jackson for this ARC.

Thank you for the copy of Our Little Secret for Review. I have always been a fan of Lisa's books so I was excited to start this one. Its a book from when you start it, you don't want to put it down and that is how Lisa's writing feels to me. Its fast and easy to read. The story was pretty good, some parts though got on my nerves and some of the story was predictable. Overall it was a good thriller read that I am sure most people will enjoy!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc of this book. This is the first book I have read by Lisa Jackson. I will definitely be reading more of her books. This book has so many twists and turns and unexpected moments. The suspense holds you throughout the entire book. I was slightly disappointed in the quick wrap up and would have liked a few more chapters at the end or a longer epilogue. It did take a few chapters for the female main character to grow on me but she did. I recommend if you like suspense give this book a try.

A family so full of secrets that it’s hard to like even one of them. I have to say that my favorite character for most of the book was Shep, the dog. Although I grew frustrated at times, the twists and turns were just enough to keep me guessing. One thing I would have loved is more backbone in Brooke. All in all, a good book. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book to review. Also, thanks to Lisa Jackson for keeping me riveted time and time again.
#NetGalley #LisaJackson

Very intriguing premise and a good suspenseful read.
Brooke is living apart from her husband when she enters into a relationship with Gideon and
all is good.
Until it is not.
She decides to give marriage another shot, for the sake of their teenage daughter and Gedeon. who
does not want to let her go, finally, lets her go.. His obsession with her seems to have abated.
Or so she thinks.
you just never know whats coming next and the story line moves right along at a good pace.
Characters are well descripted.
Jackson is such a thrilling writer.
Very.

4 stars out of 5.

This book started off really intriguing and was full of twists and turns. I thought the characters were well developed but I just could not stand Leah's character. She was just awful and I found myself hating her the more the book went on. None of the other characters were really likable either but I think that made the story better. I docked a star because I felt the book did drag on in the middle and it seemed a little repetitive. Also, the ending was a little rushed for me and I would have liked more. Everything in the end was wrapped up nicely though. Overall, this book is a solid thriller and I would recommend it.

In Our Little Secret, we meet Brooke who is having an affair with a man named Gideon Ross. Brooke's marriage had been on the rocks with her husband Neil after his affair but he recently moved back in to try and resolve their issues for their teenage daughter. Brooke decides to break off her affair with Gideon but he will not let it go and told her she will never be free of him. Strange things start to happen, is Gideon stalking her? After an altercation, Gideon disappears for a while but then sudden turns back up. Will Brooke ever be free of him?

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I picked up this book because even though I had never read a Lisa Jackson novel before, I was intrigued by the premise of a gender-reversed spin on Fatal Attraction!

I loved:
- How dramatic and fast-paced the story was.
- How all the characters were liars and had their own secrets they were keeping. None of the characters (except for the dog) were likeable but that's ok - I don't have to like the characters to be weirdly invested in their drama!
- The suspenseful atmosphere throughout the whole book.

What I didn’t like as much:
- All the twists and turns were a little predictable
- The ending fell a little flat for me. I prefer endings that are a bit more dramatic or reveal more information about the characters/how the they kept their secrets and out-smarted each other

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think I've ever read anything by this author that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. This book is no different. It's a nice blend of romance and mystery. Highly recommend!

I’m a huge fan of this author. I wasn’t sure about the spin, but ended up loving it! I will recommend to my book club when it comes out.

I was a little unsure of this one. The description was rather vague and I have found of late these books are hit or miss. This was a HUGE hit for me. I read in one sitting as I could not put this down. The villain is so well done. The main character is wonderful and surprising.
This was a break neck speed read that made me gasp out loud at moments. So many twists and turns! The story flows so well and at a fast pace. This will have your heart pounding from cover to cover.

I’ve never seen Fatal Attraction so I don’t know if that’s a positive or not when it comes to reading a “gender-reverse spin” on it. I liked the premise. I’m not sure how close it stayed to the movie or if it just took the basic idea, but I was nice and scared through most of this so job well done Lisa Jackson, and I’ll probably pass on the movie because I’m a big scaredy cat when it comes to stalkerish behavior.

It did get a little old, Brooke not telling anyone what was happening, because one, I would think your family’s lives are more important than keeping an affair secret and two, your husband had an affair before you and you were technically separated for most of it. Yeah, still not the best look for Brooke, but at a certain point, woman up.

It does get a little repetitive (multiple times Brooke says how she only did a “shallow Internet search” on Gideon and then liked not knowing more; the same events seem to keep happening) and I felt some storylines didn’t need to be there (the missing girls — seriously no idea why this was in there, and [the pregnancy (hide spoiler)]). Brooke made some odd decisions too that were clearly there to create more story but made her seem dumb ([like why not just throw the bracelet away instead of repeatedly hiding it in the same spot? (hide spoiler)]).

And now this sounds like a very negative Nancy review, but I did enjoy it. I am terrified of somehow attracting a stalker and Jackson did a great job at creating a creepy and unsettling atmosphere, heightened by the Seattle backdrop. Part 2 definitely seemed to pick up and I felt I sped through it. I think once the filler and repetitiveness was gone, it was high speed until the very end.

I went into this book with no expectations and that’s a good thing I did. This was far too “typical, basic, and yes PREDICTABLE” for me.
Brooke has a short affair with, Gideon. Even though she was married to Neal, and had a 14 year old daughter, Marilee. However she quickly realized she didn’t want to throw her family away for the deranged, Gideon so she ends it and surprise surprise Gideon is not taking no for an answer. So behind the stalking, obsession, violence and we have all read them before next happenings. I absolutely saw every single “twist” coming and the ending was the icing on the eye rolling cake. Oh I shouldn’t forget Brooke’s unbearable sister who just wraps up the array of totally unlikeable characters. Selfish, cheating, lying, whining, unbearable characters. I thought I was going to sound insane when I was thinking The only character I like in this book is the dog however, I found out I was not alone after I saw some reviews that said exact of the same thing and then I just had to laugh out loud.

Yes, this book was an easy fast read however, as I said, maybe several times it was completely predictable. All the characters were unlikable. I wasn’t rooting for anyone in fact it was the exact opposite. I just wanted it to be over and I want all the characters to get exactly what I thought they deserved in my mind so in my opinion, is this a book that you should run to the shelves and buy quickly absolutely not but maybe it will be for somebody it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Kensington Publishing for the ARC.

Love this author! This was a nice faze oases thriller. It will keep you guessing yourself. It was filled with family issues, lies, and drama. All the fun stuff! Definitely suggest it.

A fast paced thriller that will keep you second guessing what you know with the turn of every page. This story sucked me in immediately with its secrets, lies, betrayal and family drama! An absolute page turner I could not get enough of.

See the full review on www.mysteryandsuspense.com!

Best selling author Lisa Jackson’s new novel, “Our Little Secret” is a dark and twisted story of obsession and betrayal. Full of suspenseful twists and turns, it keeps you guessing until the very end!
Brooke Hastings knows her brief affair with charming and sexy Gideon Ross was a mistake. Hoping to work on her relationship with her husband and keep her family together, Brooke ends it with Gideon, but Gideon won’t go down without a fight. Soon, Brooke is receiving messages threatening her life and her daughter’s. Finally, after one intense altercation, it seems Gideon has backed off, allowing Brooke to regain her life. But then Gideon shows up again, this time with a new identity, engaged to Brooke’s sister. Desperate to keep her family safe, Brooke knows the only way to stop Gideon is to end him- for good.
Brooke is the sole narrator and protagonist of “Secret”, relatable as a married mother of a teenager looking for an escape, and retaliation against her husband, which she finds in the arms of a younger man. Once Brooke ends the affair and the threats start, the twists begin, as Jackson’s impeccable writing starts the speculation as readers scramble to guess who is behind all of the drama.
The relationships are complex, between Brooke and her husband, Brooke and her daughter and even Brooke and her estranged sister, and the entanglements between all of them added to the intrigue. Was Gideon responsible? Could someone else be involved? For someone who reads this genre almost exclusively, it’s always a treat when the ending is both surprising and unexpected and Jackson’s “Secret” delivered this in spades.
Jackson is known for her series of novels, such as “New Orleans” and “Alvarez and Pescoli” and “Secret” is one of her few stand-alones. Although her name is well known to me, “Secrets” is one of the only novels I have had a chance to read by the popular author, but it is a mistake that I immediately plan on rectifying. Jackson builds quite a puzzle for the reader to solve, thick with emotional tension and obsession, and “Our Little Secret” was a delightful read from start to finish.
“Our Little Secret” is a thriller with nods to “Fatal Attraction”, and it will captivate long-time Jackson fans, and those of us who are just joining the Lisa Jackson fan club. It is difficult to write a novel in this genre and keep it both suspenseful and surprising but Jackson’s fluid writing and creative character development do both, and more.

This book was a great thriller. It follows Brooke who was having an affair with a man named Gideon. She decided to end things with him to try and make her marriage work but Gideon was not about to just let her go. This book is a wild ride. I flew through it and read it in just over a day. There is so much family tension and drama throughout the book that I think did a good job adding to the overall story line. I couldn’t put this book down because I had to know what happened next. Highly recommend reading this one!

Brooke Hastings attempts to end her brief affair with Gideon Ross, but he insists he will never let her go. Brooke jumped into this affair because of her ongoing marital problems, her separation from her husband Neal, and because she had learned of his affairs. Unbeknownst to Brooke, she has now become entangled in a “fatal attraction“ type web. She feels she is becoming increasingly paranoid. Or is she? Neal has been lying and keeping secrets, their daughter is acting out, and then there is Leah, Brooke’s sister, who seems too connected to Neal. This book is extremely exciting and well written and moves the reader along swiftly. I felt like I knew every character (all generally unlikeable). I was swept up in this complex and disturbing story. With thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC. My opinions are my own.