Special thanks to the author and NetGalley for the free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 14, 2024
Amy Linden has worked hard to get where she is, a successful hotelier, managing the hotel she co-owns with her handsome husband, Jonathan. With their young son, Gabe, Amy is living the life she has dreamed of since she was a young girl, when she worked in the kitchen of a local resort. But then Ramona shows up and claims she’s the daughter Amy gave up for adoption twenty years ago. Amy has kept Ramona, and the story of her adoption, a secret for so long, she isn’t sure if she’s ready to spill it. But Ramona keeps pushing and Amy knows that Ramona has a right to know where she came from- but at what cost?
“I’ll Tell You Everything “is the second novel I’ve read by novelist Rebecca Kelley. Her first novel, “No One Knows Us Here” earned a five-star review from me, and I was more than excited to be given the chance to see if her new novel would live up to the hype.
The novel is co-narrated by both Amy and Ramona. Although it is in the modern time period, some of Amy’s portions are told through recollections by Amy on her past, allowing readers to get the full story as she slowly reveals her secret past to Ramona. Amy was a single parent, trying to make her way up in the hotel management world, who gave away her daughter in order to pursue her aspirations. Ramona is a young woman, trying to find out who she is after her adoptive mother is diagnosed with cancer. For some reason, I did not like Ramona as a character. She seemed vindictive and manipulative, desperate to find out Amy’s story and then, after begging and pleading for the truth, she shuns Amy as a result of consequences she coerced Amy into taking. That being said, she did not put me off the story, and I was captivated by the engaging plot.
The secluded, rural setting of Amy’s hotel is the perfect escape, and I loved the picture Kelley painted of the picturesque scenery. The plot flowed well, but the story was more women’s fiction or mystery than a domestic suspense or psychological thriller, which “No One Knows” definitely was. Once I accepted the change in genre, I was able to get into this novel and feel more connected to the plot and characters.
The best part of “Everything” is the ending. Kelley draws the novel to a succinct and satisfying conclusion and then throws a final (and, in my opinion, the best) twist into the last few pages. I had different expectations of what this novel was going to be, but I was able to enjoy it all the same. Thanks to Kelley for providing me with her newest novel to enjoy.

I'll Tell you Everything has two main characters - Amy and Ramona. Each chapter is told from the point of view of one or the other.

Amy puts Ramona up for adoption when she was a baby. On reaching adulthood, Ramona wants to find out about her blood parents, and meets with Amy, but this is where the lies start.

I liked the storyline of the circumstances which led to Amy putting Ramona up for adoption, but it felt that the story was just going round and round in circles and going nowhere. Having said this, it was an easy read and I would give another book by this author a go

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read a copy in return for my honest review.

I really wanted to dive into this and love it however at past the 50% mark I was still struggling to fully embrace the story telling so unfortunately I won't be able to finish.
What I did read however was a solid 3 stars

A gripping psychological thriller that explores the complexities of motherhood, secrets, and the lengths we'll go to protect our loved ones.

When Amy, a seemingly perfect mother and wife, is confronted by her long-lost daughter, Ramona, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I wanted to love this story more. I really did. I enjoyed the premise of a girl wanting to connect with her birth mother to learn more about herself. And I did appreciate the insight into the mental health struggles Amy, the birth mother, had.

But I just found this story to be missing something. Either something mysterious or shocking. The ending was predictable and while I found this to be a quick enough read this could have almost been a novella for me and still got the story across.

Thank you publishers and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this.

This is a simple story with really only 4 characters. Ramona comes to visit her birth mother, Amy. Ramona wants to know the story of how she came to be conceived and later adopted

The story was hard to put down, each chapter pulled me in deeper, making me eager to peel back more layers of the mystery. It kept me hooked right to the end. It’s the kind of book that’s easy to get lost in for a while. I did guess the ending of the story but it was a cosy read.

I wanted to love this but it felt like it was lacking something. I liked the premise, and the potential was there, especially in the beginning; but then things started to just feel repetitive. It was a short novel that could have been even shorter and the story would have been the same. The final “reveal” wasn’t shocking at all- I don’t know if it was supposed to be? Or if it was just meant to further showcase Amy’s mental state?
Also- the book could have done without the completely unnecessary Nazi reference. Comparing cheating genocide is… absurd, to say the least.

It's a story of finding out the truth. The book follows Ramona, a woman who grew up knowing she was adopted who goes out to find her birth mother, Amy. Amy, seems to be very conflicted about rediscovering her daughter. It is evident she struggles with some issues. When Ramona pushes for answers, Amy tends to leave out the pertinent details. The ending has a twist and the book was engaging. Thanks NetGalley for an ARC.

This was a good 3.5 read.

It's a story of discovery. The book follows Ramona, a woman who grew up knowing she was adopted who goes out to find her birth mother, Amy. Amy, seems to be very conflicted about rediscovering her daughter. It is evident she struggles with some mental health issues.

I found it to be well written and I did enjoy the character development.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This is my honest opinion of the book

3.5 stars.

I absolutely loved the setting of this story—it had that perfect, cozy atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re right there. I could easily imagine myself curled up in a warm lodge, holding a cup of hot chocolate, with a breathtaking view of snow-capped mountains and a serene lake stretching out below. Maybe even catching sight of a bear wandering in the distance. It was that vivid. The whole vibe felt so comforting and immersive.

The story itself was incredibly hard to put down. Every chapter pulled me in deeper, making me eager to peel back more layers of the mystery. It kept me hooked right to the end. It’s the kind of book that’s easy to get lost in for a while, and I genuinely enjoyed it.

However, I do think it's the kind of story I’ll forget after some time. It didn’t leave a lasting impact on me, and I don’t typically give 4 or 5 stars unless a book really sticks in my head. But I can’t deny how much I loved the characters and the overall feel of the story. They fit perfectly with that cozy, inviting setting.

If you’re in the mood for a fast, cozy read that takes you out of the real world for a little while, this is a great pick. It might not be a story that stays with me forever, but it was definitely a lovely escape while it lasted.

I started this book awhile ago and it didn't catch my attention immediately. I did go back to it several weeks later and it was better than I remember it initially being so I gave it another shot. I liked the plot of the book although it did just kind of jump into the story with not much a background of how they got to where it started out. Basically it's about Ramona a young adult who is looking for her bio mom Amy for answers as most adoptive kids do. Once they meet up Amy tells lies after lies about what led up to the adoption. I felt like the author kept it pretty mysterious with the web of lies and you never knew what lie would come next. The biggest issue I had with this book was the ending. It felt like it was missing something especially with how over the top the lies were. I did overall enjoy this book and would definitely give this author another try. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

I felt it was compelling premise but overall I found the plot wasn’t as fleshed out as it could have been and had to force myself to finish
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read book

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of this book. Pub date January 14,2025.

I got about 20% through the book and was not able to finish. The storyline did not grab me and the characters did not attract me to learn more about them.

Lies and secrets send this family hurtling in this dark and deep novel by Rebecca Kelley. I enjoyed this smart exploration of tangles family relationships.

I’ll Tell You Everything by Rebecca Kelley is an emotionally charged story about Amy and her biological daughter, whom she gave up for adoption as a baby. The novel follows the daughter’s search for answers as Amy provides multiple versions of the same story until the full truth is finally revealed.

Amy is clearly meant to be unlikable. Her erratic, often selfish behavior kept me engaged, though not always in a pleasant way. The shifting narratives made me question what was real, but Amy’s lack of honesty, ability to turn everything into a positive, and her frustrating unpredictability made it difficult to sympathize with her. However, this complexity is intentional—Amy is a deeply flawed, complicated person, and that discomfort reflects the complexity of the relationship at the heart of the story.

For readers who enjoy dissecting flawed characters, this novel provides plenty of layers to uncover.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers for the Advanced Reader Copy. The book will be published on January 14, 2025.

Starting with a compelling premise—Ramona’s emotional journey to uncover the truth about her biological parents after reuniting with her birth mother, Amy. The setup is intriguing, as Ramona’s determination leads her to the summer resort where her parents’ romance began. Amy’s internal struggle to reveal the full truth adds tension and emotional weight to the story.

While the novel does a good job building suspense around family secrets, it sometimes falls short in delivering the depth expected from such an emotional narrative. The pacing, especially in the middle, feels a bit uneven, and some of Ramona’s discoveries seem predictable, lessening their impact. The relationship between Ramona and Amy, although central to the plot, could have been more fully explored to deepen the reader's emotional connection.

That said, I’ll Tell You Everything does manage to convey the complexities of family dynamics and the weight of hidden truths. It’s an enjoyable read for those interested in family drama, though it may leave some readers wanting more in terms of character development and emotional payoff.

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc in return for my honest review.

At first Ramona was a character that had some appeal to my taste as a character, but soon it wasn't anymore.
I'll admit I wasn't enjoying my reading experience with this book, maybe I'm not the right reader for it, maybe I'm not in the right mood? The thing is: I wasn't enjoying it, and I already have many books to read, so this is a temporary DNF. I might consider coming back to this book in the future before it gets published). I apologise to the author and to the publisher.

Amy Linden and her husband own a successful resort hotel in the mountains and share a son. On the surface, Amy has it all. Then, during an evening performance, she glances at the audiences and sees an unexpected guest. It’s Ramona, the baby she gave up for adoption twenty years ago. Ramona is there to learn more about her family. Who was her father anyway? At first Amy somewhat comically tries to keep Ramona a secret from her family while she drags her up and down mountain trails and around lakes, telling her the story of a grand love affair at this very same hotel with Freddy, the son of the owner. There will be more stories, more walks, an introduction to Amy’s husband and son, but Ramona is left neither knowing what to believe nor knowing the woman who gave birth to her.

I’ll Tell You Everything is a well paced and written, although disturbing, family drama. However, Amy Linden is such an unlikeable character that it is hard to see beyond that. Her self serving lies are at first shocking and then expected. Then come her inner thoughts of violence. Then her actions. Ramona should have stayed away. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Rebecca Kelley for this ARC.

I love great characters and I am all in when there’s a well written character. If the character’s are just meh, there better be a good plot.

Unfortunately, this book lacked both. And I really tried. I wanted to love this book. The idea is sound! I was ready for a good mystery. I’ll Tell You Everything did not deliver.

Ramona was the best-written character and I understood her motives, her storyline, etc. Everyone else? It just didn’t quite measure up to the expectations. I think where it fell flat was the lack of story build-up behind Amy. She isn’t well enough developed to carry the whole novel. She’s too two-dimensional and flat. Her storytelling to Ramona is flighty and in the beginning, it does make sense. But, by about 50% through the novel, it just becomes almost repetitive. We know she’s going to talk around the questions Ramona asks and then tell a long winded story that doesn’t say much.

I’m giving it a very generous 3 stars.

I am thankful that I had the opportunity to review this book but, it was not for me. There were multiple times that I almost DNF'd but I really wanted to see if it would pick up.. Unfortunately, it didn't. This is my first Rebecca Kelley book so I didn't know what to expect.

Ramona is adopted and finally gets the opportunity to meet her birth mother, Amy, and learn more about her and her father. Amy begins to tell her about the summer she was conceived and the blossoming romance only for it to be lies upon lies as Amy tries to protect the life she has built and her family.

I found the plot to be non-existent and Amy, to be boring and delusional. I also found it hard at times to figure out what chapter belonged to what character as so much of it seemed to be Amy's POV even when it's Ramona's chapter? Maybe I missed something somewhere along the way but the tense and tone didn't seem to switch very often even though chapter titles led you to believe it. The conversation where Amy is compared to a Nazi was also beyond out of place and insensitive in the way it was presented.

I will not be recommending this book.