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62nd out of 102 books
—
177 voters
Best Kept Secret
by
Amy Hatvany (Goodreads Author)
Cadence didn’t sit down one night and decide that downing two bottles of wine was a brilliant idea.
Her drinking snuck up on her - as a way to sleep, to help her relax after a long day, to relieve some of the stress of the painful divorce that’s left her struggling to make ends meet with her five-year old son, Charlie.
It wasn’t always like this. Just a few years ago, Cadenc...more
Her drinking snuck up on her - as a way to sleep, to help her relax after a long day, to relieve some of the stress of the painful divorce that’s left her struggling to make ends meet with her five-year old son, Charlie.
It wasn’t always like this. Just a few years ago, Cadenc...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
June 7th 2011
by Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
(first published May 23rd 2011)
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This is another book that I never would have voluntarily picked up without any outside forces. Yet again, I found myself being friends with a Goodreads author that I had never heard of, but felt compelled to read her novel. (the fact that she and I shared similar tastes in books encouraged this). When I requested it from the library it was on order, so being the first person to receive it was quite a novelty!!!
I'm not quite sure what genre I would classify this as, it had a strong "chic lit" fee...more
I'm not quite sure what genre I would classify this as, it had a strong "chic lit" fee...more
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Best Kept Secret: A Novel, written by Amy Hatvany, is a hugely powerful novel that focuses on a mother's demise into alcoholism while being divorced from her husband and clinging to custody of her young son. Cadence Sutter is a journalist that is married to Martin and mother to her five-year-old son, Charlie. The couple end up getting divorced because Martin is constantly working an extremely excessive amount of hours with his job at Microsoft, and Cadence realizes that he is no longer around fo...more
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Great read,i really cried with Cadence,yes for a while she was lost but once she realizes she is about to lose Charlie she starts to redeem herself,gets help and tries to overcome her addiction.I was really angry at first when Cadence lost she should be given a second chance,she is broken but yet again she picks herself up,whatever little time she has got with Charlie she makes it up with it.
Martin was right when he took Charlie when Cadence became addicted,i also understood his filing the case...more
Martin was right when he took Charlie when Cadence became addicted,i also understood his filing the case...more
Motherhood & Alcoholism; grim subject matter, not a novel I thought would be a favourite read but how wrong I was. While Best Kept Secret made my heart ache and my gut churn it wasn't a depressing read. It's honest and real and courageous, with a depth not often seen.
When life hands you lemons, some make lemonade and some don't. Whether it be seeking oblivion in pills, escape in retail therapy, comfort in eating, or solace in a bottle, when you can't stop, it's addiction of one form or anot...more
When life hands you lemons, some make lemonade and some don't. Whether it be seeking oblivion in pills, escape in retail therapy, comfort in eating, or solace in a bottle, when you can't stop, it's addiction of one form or anot...more
Cadence is a working mother, which is like having two conflicting full time jobs, as any working mom will tell you. She wants the best for her little boy, and she takes pride in her freelance writing position.
Overwhelmed and exhausted, Cadence begins to have one little innocuous glass of wine before bed, just to help her get to sleep. Unfortunately, one glass gradually becomes several, until glasses eventually become bottles. Before long, Cadence has become dependent upon the wine. She is an alc...more
Overwhelmed and exhausted, Cadence begins to have one little innocuous glass of wine before bed, just to help her get to sleep. Unfortunately, one glass gradually becomes several, until glasses eventually become bottles. Before long, Cadence has become dependent upon the wine. She is an alc...more
1 like · like · see review
Fast and compelling read. You really fall into the narrators world and feel her pain and struggle. I'm not a mother or an alcoholic but I still felt like I could completely relate to her. Lots of complex family and relationship dynamics and very well written.
In the beginning of this novel we meet a happy,sucessful journalist, married and very excited about a baby on the way. In the journey that follows, we find a struggling divorcee, with a dwindling income, and a toddler whom she loves to the depths of her being. From one or two glasses of wine to "help her sleep" to more than a few to get through her day. The ultimate rock bottom is when she's realized she's out of wine and it's the middle of the night. The store is only 6 minutes away, Charlie is...more
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As women, we strive to be "super" everything: mom, wife, homemaker, employee, friend, you name it! The amount of pressure we put ourselves under can be unbearable. And regardless of how overwhelmed we are, we often feel weak or inadequate and refuse to ask for help. This is what happened to Cadence.
This book deals with motherhood and alcoholism. When I first started reading it, my thoughts centered around "how could SHE let things get so bad?", but I quickly realized this could actually happen...more
This book deals with motherhood and alcoholism. When I first started reading it, my thoughts centered around "how could SHE let things get so bad?", but I quickly realized this could actually happen...more
2 likes · like · see review
Best Kept Secret is a touching story of a working mother and divorcee who’s struggling to make ends meet and begins having a glass of wine each night to help her sleep. One drink turns into bottles and Cadence is suddenly in danger of losing her beloved son, Charlie. Before reading this book, I didn’t think there was any way I could relate to this woman, as I would never choose alcohol over my own child, but after, I realized that this could easily be me with one wrong turn. Best Kept Secret is...more
1 like · like · see review
Oct 11, 2011
Judi/Judith
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
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A couple of months ago I picked up this book on the library shelf and flipped through it to get an idea of the content. I decided that I wasn't much interested in the subject matter and put it back. A couple of days ago I picked put he same book and took another look at it because it has a compelling cover. I checked it out with about six other books and thought I would take a closer look at it at home and would probably abandon it, after all. The minute I read the first paragraph, I couldn't st...more
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"Best Kept Secret might simply seem like another story of addiction. And, it is a raw examination of a woman in crisis, an honest and aching portrait of an addict who almost loses everything when her life spirals out of control. However, what makes this novel entirely original, is its fearless exploration of the place where addiction and motherhood intersect. What made me love Cadence was not her struggle with alcohol, but her fierce love for her child. This novel is a testament to the power of...more
Excellent novel about an ordinary woman/mother's descent into alcoholism. Difficult to read at times because it was so raw and real. Highly recommend.
Randomly came across this in the bookstore and bought it. While the alcoholism might not resonate with all readers, if you're a mother this book will strike a chord with you. This could be any woman you know. Great read!
This book is amazing. The author is a recovering alcoholic and a mother like the main character in the book. She gets to the core of a person's struggle with alcoholism and all the feelings that accompany it. It's a very moving story.
The Human Condition: One Woman’s Story
This story covers a relatively short period of time in a woman’s life. Best Kept Secret reveals the secret of alcoholism and illustrates the sneaky spiral, the dire consequences and hopeful path to recovery. It is well written and brave; however, I felt it lacked a certain edge that for me made it stand out as unique and groundbreaking.
But that may be the point. The main character, Cadence, is every woman. She’s bright, beautiful, educated, witty, likeable...more
This story covers a relatively short period of time in a woman’s life. Best Kept Secret reveals the secret of alcoholism and illustrates the sneaky spiral, the dire consequences and hopeful path to recovery. It is well written and brave; however, I felt it lacked a certain edge that for me made it stand out as unique and groundbreaking.
But that may be the point. The main character, Cadence, is every woman. She’s bright, beautiful, educated, witty, likeable...more
Reading the back cover I was convinced that this would be an emotional read for me, my only question was how far..Quite amazingly the book held me enchanted...Alcoholism was the only thing that made me skeptical about the book but as I read through all doubts just evaporated... Just divorced, now a single parent of a pre-school son, Candence resorted on two glass of wine for a deep sleep each night..Slowly and steadily this habit expands onto one bottle and by a year she turns out be a fully alc...more
When I first started reading this book, I was instantly on the defense. Being a recovering alcoholic and a single mother, I was really curious to know if this book was written by "one of us", or if it was penned by an imposter, whose only experience with this disease was watching reruns of Intervention. Once I had satisfied myself that this was indeed written by someone who "knows", I was able to open up and let this story in.
Alcoholism has a voice. It is loud. It is constant. And it lives in my...more
Alcoholism has a voice. It is loud. It is constant. And it lives in my...more
1 like · like · see review
I normally shy away from "issue" novels, but Amy Hatvany's compelling language and accurate characterization, so firmly rooted in the real life of thousands of people, drew me along with such a firm grasp that I couldn't put it down. Through the magic of her honest writing style, the reader comes to genuinely like the main character, Cadence, as she tries and fails to cope with tremendous pressures. We sympathize with her when she slowly realizes that she alone cannot maintain a writing career t...more
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I didn’t expect to find much of interest in this novel, having little in common with an alcoholic single mother. The narrative voice engaged me from the beginning so that I couldn’t stop reading after I got started. Before long, I discovered that I had several things in common with Cadence Sutter, after all. I identified with her struggles to write, her gradually developing interest in good cooking, and the steps on her path to sobriety that aren’t all that different from the steps on the path t...more
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Outstanding book which truly captures the plight of alcoholic mothers.
More like 4.5, but I try to reserve 5 for my most favorite. The reason I enjoyed this book so much was because the subject matter was something I had never read. Very taboo events and thoughts were written that we normally don't see in fiction, especially in a book about a mother and son! I think this book will mean a lot to any mothers struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or any feelings or inadequacy as moms.
My online book group will be chatting with Amy Hatvany later this month and I can't...more
My online book group will be chatting with Amy Hatvany later this month and I can't...more
Very gripping story about a mother, Cadence, who becomes after some tough life events an alcoholic and has her son taken away from her as a result. We see Cadence as a young happy newlywed and pregnant then as a mother and then we see as she tells the story the small amounts of drinking that turn into an addiction. I found this story extremely compelling, all of the emotions Cadence feels, shame, guilt, fear, her drive to prove to the courts that she is fit to have custody of her son led me to h...more
It was alarmingly easy for Cadence to become an alcoholic of predominantly red wine when the stress of life urged her to have a drink each evening to calm down. So was it wrong to read "Best Kept Secret" while drinking a glass of red wine? The writing was strong, but I never connected with Cadence. I found it somewhat ridiculous that she would end up in AA after only a few instances of drunkenness. I suppose leaving her five year old alone in her house while she runs to the store to buy more win...more
I was first "introduced" to Amy Hatvany via Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) networking. I have not met her in person, have not met her at any HR-related events, and most likely couldnt pick her out of a lineup. But hey, we have a profession in common! At least until her book writing becomes lucrative enough to walk away from the glamorous world of personnel.
Best Kept Secret chronicles mom Cadence's struggle with alcoholism, divorce, and losing custody of her son due to her drinkin...more
Best Kept Secret chronicles mom Cadence's struggle with alcoholism, divorce, and losing custody of her son due to her drinkin...more
Have an ARC of this book - lucky me! This is a genuine, heartfelt novel about a mother struggling to do it all, but most of all struggling with her alcoholism. I’m actually surprised there haven’t been more books on this topic. It’s so pervasive yet it's so incredibly taboo, which is, I guess, why there haven’t been more books! The author nails the voice of Cadence and makes her a believable, highly likable, and sympathetic character, even when she’s doing something anyone would consider “bad.”...more
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Cadence is a single mother, recently out of rehab for alcoholism, who is fighting to get custody of her son back from her ex-husband. I know--that sounds like a Lifetime movie. But, trust me it isn't.
I read the author interview at the end of the book and was not surprised to find out that the author herself is a recovering alcoholic and a mother (but not a single one). There is no way this book could have been written by someone who hasn't experienced the abyss of addiction while being a mother....more
I read the author interview at the end of the book and was not surprised to find out that the author herself is a recovering alcoholic and a mother (but not a single one). There is no way this book could have been written by someone who hasn't experienced the abyss of addiction while being a mother....more
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Addiction. Food, drugs, alcohol, sex, smoking - all begin with the person trying to fill a loss, emptiness, fear or some type of problem in their life that they cannot fix or manage.
Cadance quite without intention found herself addicted to alcohol. She was a single mom with a son Charlie whom she adored. She was a writer and a wonderful mom.
This is the strory of how situations and people in our lives can influence our weaknesses which turn into devastating addictions which turn into struggles of...more
Cadance quite without intention found herself addicted to alcohol. She was a single mom with a son Charlie whom she adored. She was a writer and a wonderful mom.
This is the strory of how situations and people in our lives can influence our weaknesses which turn into devastating addictions which turn into struggles of...more
From the first frank opening lines, I knew that Cadence's story would be heart-wrenching, gutsy, and totally honest.
Her beginning confession of her greatest "sin," being drunk in front of her child, told me that we were about to commence a journey that could only get more painful, but would also yield the unique wisdom that comes from coping with something horrendous, and yet living to tell about it.
We can see that being an alcoholic is difficult and challenging enough, but being an alcoholic mo...more
Her beginning confession of her greatest "sin," being drunk in front of her child, told me that we were about to commence a journey that could only get more painful, but would also yield the unique wisdom that comes from coping with something horrendous, and yet living to tell about it.
We can see that being an alcoholic is difficult and challenging enough, but being an alcoholic mo...more
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"We're only as sick as our secrets"...
An ingenuous tale that illustrates the depths of despair and grief involved with alcoholism and the struggle to conquer the addiction. Cadence's honest and raw story brought tears to my eyes and broke my heart. There were times I wanted to shake her, hold her, yell at her. Her struggle with alcoholism was painfully crafted with such realism, it was hard to close the book upon reading the last page knowing her struggle would never really end.
A horrifically ba...more
An ingenuous tale that illustrates the depths of despair and grief involved with alcoholism and the struggle to conquer the addiction. Cadence's honest and raw story brought tears to my eyes and broke my heart. There were times I wanted to shake her, hold her, yell at her. Her struggle with alcoholism was painfully crafted with such realism, it was hard to close the book upon reading the last page knowing her struggle would never really end.
A horrifically ba...more
Did you ever make a bad choice? Ever wish you could undo a mistake? Ever look around at your current circumstances and wonder when and how you ended up here? Maybe you have never suffered with an addiction or even known someone who has, but this novel will still speak to you. Amy Hatvany paints a vivid picture of a woman losing herself and her life to drink, and her slow path back to sobriety. Is it too late to reclaim her former existence? Can she undo all the bad things and make them right? An...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Sisterhood of the...: Best Kept Secret by Amy Hatvany | 44 | 22 | 8 hours, 39 min ago |
Amy Hatvany was born in Seattle, WA in 1972, the youngest of three children. She graduated from Western Washington University in 1994 with a degree in Sociology only to discover most sociologists are unemployed. Soon followed a variety of jobs – some of which she loved, like decorating wedding cakes; others which she merely tolerated, like receptionist. In 1998, Amy finally decided to sell her car...more
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“Humiliation is about shame. Becoming humble is about being of use to others. It helps you get off the self-pity pot and stop wallowing around in your own crap.”
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“What other people think of you is none of your business," she says. "You can't change it, you can't control it. The only thing you can control is your reaction to it.”
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