In this spectacular new novel, Barbara O’Neal delivers a generous helping of the best in life–family, food, and love–in the story...
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reviews
Jan 10, 2011
Denise
rated it: 
The Secret of Everything is a beautiful story about love and family, good food and gorgeous landscape, faithful dogs and a mysterious town. Tessa is a hiking tour guide who is recovering from a traumatic, near drowning experience. As she recovers strange memories from her mysterious childhood begin to surface. She sets out for Los Ladrones, the small town in New Mexico where she was born, in an attempt to uncover the truth.
What a gorgeous book! The strength here is in the real, down More...
What a gorgeous book! The strength here is in the real, down More...
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Jan 10, 2011
Sierra
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I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a magical blend of love, lust, grief and secrets. A mix of magical realism, chick lit, food lit, romance and mystery all in one story.
Quick synopsis: Tessa Harlow is a woman who has travelled the world but never truly found a home. A bad accident brings back long forgotten childhood memories and has her questioning herself so she travels to Las Ladronas, NM to rediscover herself by learning more about her past.
I really liked Tess. I was able More...
Quick synopsis: Tessa Harlow is a woman who has travelled the world but never truly found a home. A bad accident brings back long forgotten childhood memories and has her questioning herself so she travels to Las Ladronas, NM to rediscover herself by learning more about her past.
I really liked Tess. I was able More...
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(3 people liked it)
Jan 10, 2011
Mary (MrsBrownsFan)
rated it:
I am one of the lucky ones who won a copy of this here on Goodreads and can't wait to get started! I loved The Lost Recipe for Happiness by this same author.
Edited to add...
I just finished this book, and I was so moved by it that I had to come right to Goodreads to post my review. I spent about seven hours today, devouring this book, and I enjoyed it so much. It had everything I look for in a book...wonderful characters that I felt an instant connection to, a location More...
Edited to add...
I just finished this book, and I was so moved by it that I had to come right to Goodreads to post my review. I spent about seven hours today, devouring this book, and I enjoyed it so much. It had everything I look for in a book...wonderful characters that I felt an instant connection to, a location More...
Jan 10, 2011
Carolyn
rated it: 
I'd give this three and a half stars. For the most part I liked the main character, Tessa Harlow, who leads high end adventure tour hikes with diversions for nice restaurants. Sounds like a good gig to me. But after recovering from injuries in a terrible accident on a hike, she heads to the town of Los Ladrones in New Mexico to search for her past while scouting possible future tour locations. Born in a commune and raised by a former hippie surfer dude, she had nearly drowned in the river th
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Jan 10, 2011
Mary
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Tessa Harlow enjoyed leading hiking tours until the hike that had a nightmarish ending. Feeling tremendous guilt and responsibility for the incident she goes to her father's home to heal. From the time of the accident she has flashbacks from her early childhood - memories that don't make sense. Feeling a pull to the area where she spent the first years of her life, Tessa heads to New Mexico to scout possible hiking tours and that's where her journey really begins. By meeting people who are new t
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(2 people liked it)
Jan 10, 2011
Sharon A.
rated it:
I absolutely loved this book. I had been on a run of reading fairly serious novels (The Historian, The Secret of the Wind), and had been looking for some light reads. Just before I received this goodreads giveaway, I had read an absolutely dreadful, formulaic chick lit/romance. So I probably wasn't in the best frame of mind when I started this one. Interesting premise, but unknown author and very few expectations.
Right off the bat I was smitten with Tess. Tess is in her late 3 More...
Right off the bat I was smitten with Tess. Tess is in her late 3 More...
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Jan 10, 2011
Lea
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FirstReads: This is the best book I have read in a while. There is something for everyone: Mystery, Romance, Food, Dogs, Beautiful Scenery. What more could you ask for?
Tessa is injured in a work accident, nearly drowned. This stirs up memories of her long buried childhood. As she recovers from her physical injuries, she is unable to heal as quickly from the emotional ones. Much to her father's dismay, she returns to the town where she was born, in the New Mexico mountains. There she meets More...
Tessa is injured in a work accident, nearly drowned. This stirs up memories of her long buried childhood. As she recovers from her physical injuries, she is unable to heal as quickly from the emotional ones. Much to her father's dismay, she returns to the town where she was born, in the New Mexico mountains. There she meets More...
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Aug 19, 2011
Da
rated it:
This book is so good!! I wish there was more stars to give it. The story is great, the characters are so well developed and she has such a beautiful way of kneading them gently and respectively into your experience; but in a way that you don't realize how deeply they have touched your soul. Every single one of them. Natalie is just the best child character I think I've read in a long time. She could have an entire movie, or kids show done about her. A kids show would be great. Anyway, I digress.
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Aug 07, 2011
Gail
rated it:
Barbara O'Neal has the knack of creating characters that are deeply engaging and compelling; she is also able to weave many different people's perspective into the story.
Tessa is recovering and trying to get back to her life, changed forever after a hiking trip goes terribly wrong. As an experienced traveler and hiker and as the leader of the tour, she carries a heavy load of responsibility. To gently transition back to her tour guide life, she goes to New Mexico to research a new si More...
Tessa is recovering and trying to get back to her life, changed forever after a hiking trip goes terribly wrong. As an experienced traveler and hiker and as the leader of the tour, she carries a heavy load of responsibility. To gently transition back to her tour guide life, she goes to New Mexico to research a new si More...
Feb 01, 2011
Danica Page (One Page at a Time)
rated it:
This book was an interesting read. I liked the characters and the story idea. However, it lacked that certain something to distinguish it has anything above three stars.
Tessa Harlow is a tourtist guide for a living, but after a terrible trip gone wrong she remembers a vague childhood memory of a time when she almost drowned. Determined to figure out the truth she returns to her childhood home, but what she finds is stranger than even she could even suspect.
Vince Grosso is More...
Tessa Harlow is a tourtist guide for a living, but after a terrible trip gone wrong she remembers a vague childhood memory of a time when she almost drowned. Determined to figure out the truth she returns to her childhood home, but what she finds is stranger than even she could even suspect.
Vince Grosso is More...
Aug 29, 2011
Marianne
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The Secret of Everything is Barbara O’Neal’s second novel. This is the story of thirty-seven year old Tessa Harlow, who leads hiking tours for adventurous vacationers. After a freak injury in a hiking trip marred by tragedy, Tessa is drawn to the New Mexico town of Los Ladrones, once the setting of a childhood trauma that Tessa can only remember in confusing flashes. The story is told in several voices: Tessa, looking for her past; Sam, her ex-hippie, surfer father, running away from that past;
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Jun 11, 2011
Pat
rated it:
I enjoy Barbara O'Neal's novels a great deal. I especially loved the characters in this one. Tessa, has survived 2 tragedies in her life..one she has no memory of, and two , she feels responsible for an accidental death, even though she was seriously injured herself. The dogs!!! What can I say..they all had personalities, loyalty, and were so comforting. All the other people of Las Ladronas had there own stories. Vince, handsome, has a tortured soul, and thouroughly dedicated to his "gir
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Sep 15, 2011
Rory
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This doesn't seem possible, considering how wonderful "The Lost Recipe for Happiness" and "How to Bake a Perfect Life" are, but it is: "The Secret of Everything" is Barbara O'Neal's best novel. She is a poet in a novelist's body. There will be so many instances when you'll read a line in this one, put the bookmark in the spine, and close it just to think about her descriptions, to smile with pure pleasure at what you've read, to revel in those descriptions. I had a
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Jun 23, 2011
Kimberly
rated it:
Another incredible offering from Barbara O'Neal, who is now an auto-buy for me, no questions asked. This book had a little bit of a different feel than both Lost Recipe and Perfect Life, but O'Neal's stunning language and insightful, poignant voice shines through from the first chapter. There's a lot of emotion in this book (as with her others), and I was drawn in on page 2, unable to stop thinking about the characters long after I'd put the book down. Tessa is so wonderfully flawed, humble yet
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Jan 10, 2011
Anna
rated it:
This book is just WOW. I did not want to put it down & trust me, it was hard to put this book down even when I had to go to the bathroom.
Tessa is 37 and she is a wanderer. Her dad lives in California with 3 dogs. (Which by the way is funny, because one of the dogs name is Peaches & that's my dogs name) But anyway. She got injured during a hiking trip & she has been living with her dad in order for her broken arm to heal. She then decides to go to New Mexico to investigate for future More...
Tessa is 37 and she is a wanderer. Her dad lives in California with 3 dogs. (Which by the way is funny, because one of the dogs name is Peaches & that's my dogs name) But anyway. She got injured during a hiking trip & she has been living with her dad in order for her broken arm to heal. She then decides to go to New Mexico to investigate for future More...
Jan 10, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
This book doesn't belong in the top tier because it's not life-changing or edifying in any way, but boy does it entertain! It was the quintessential "beach book" and, if truth be told, probably a "chick book." It was just what I needed to push away the winter doldrums and get my mind off anything stressful, and I carried it with me so I could read whenever I was waiting for anything (dentist's office, meetings, etc.).
Tessa Harlow is recuperating from an injury sus More...
Tessa Harlow is recuperating from an injury sus More...
Jan 10, 2011
Juli
rated it:
I really liked the premise of this book, and for the most part I really loved the way the author presented the story from varying points of view, which was only rarely distracting. I love the characters, especially the canine ones. There was a point in the middle of the book when I got a little tired of some of the over-the-top descriptions and emotions, which I believed were the signs of inexperienced writing, and I was beginning to doubt the plot would ever resolve itself. I had to make the
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Jan 10, 2011
Julia
rated it:
Tessa Harlow, a self-proclaimed bookish woman, became interested in hiking while dating a guy in college and this led to a dream job of sorts, taking tourist/hiking groups to all corners of the world. After recuperating from a horrifying work accident with her dad Sam on the beaches of California, Tessa sets off for Los Llandros, NM to ferret out a new locale for a hiking group. Tessa knows Sam is wary of this journey, as she has recalled memories of almost drowning in a NM river as a four yea
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Jan 10, 2011
Monica
rated it:
Won on First Reads.
Tessa is a woman with a past, a past full of questions, mystery and tragedy. "The Secret of Everything" is about Tessa exploring her past, delving into mysteries that she didn't know existed and finding ways to be a stronger and better woman because of it.
I loved this book. The included recipes were amazing and added so much to the book. I loved the characters; I loved the story; I loved where the author chose to take us. The writing was v More...
Tessa is a woman with a past, a past full of questions, mystery and tragedy. "The Secret of Everything" is about Tessa exploring her past, delving into mysteries that she didn't know existed and finding ways to be a stronger and better woman because of it.
I loved this book. The included recipes were amazing and added so much to the book. I loved the characters; I loved the story; I loved where the author chose to take us. The writing was v More...
Jan 10, 2011
Karen
rated it:
This is probably closer to 2.5 stars. If I hadn't won this one through GoodReads, I doubt I would bother to write a review. It's a completely inoffensive read but certainly not a terribly thought-provoking or deep one. It's a typical romance novel -love (and lust, of course) at first sight which neither of our protagonists are prepared for. Issues, issues, issues... then the inevitable happy ending that can be spotted from, oh, page 2 maybe. The author does do a good job of creating plot tension
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Jan 10, 2011
Tara
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 10, 2011
Cristina
rated it:
Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for giving me this book for free in one of their book giveways!
When I started reading this book, I was hesistant to get into it. The beginning drags through an immense amount of foreshadowing. It is overpowering, and it isn't until maybe 50 pages in that you finally start cracking away at the actual story. However, once you start to bring down those layers, you are rewarded with a heartbreaking, uplifting, and wonderful story.
One thing I More...
When I started reading this book, I was hesistant to get into it. The beginning drags through an immense amount of foreshadowing. It is overpowering, and it isn't until maybe 50 pages in that you finally start cracking away at the actual story. However, once you start to bring down those layers, you are rewarded with a heartbreaking, uplifting, and wonderful story.
One thing I More...
Apr 22, 2011
Ms.Atack
rated it:
I'm definitely enjoying the foodie/recipe/romance thing, and I'd like to read more by this author. I remembered to copy down a couple of the recipes from the book before I returned it to the library (Cinnamon Raisin Bread and Carrot Pineapple Muffins). I seem to be in a hard-core baking phase...
I wonder if there are any YA titles that work in recipes (like this book did) or soundtracks (like Jodi Picoult's "Sing You Home"). I know there's a demographic of kids that wou More...
I wonder if there are any YA titles that work in recipes (like this book did) or soundtracks (like Jodi Picoult's "Sing You Home"). I know there's a demographic of kids that wou More...
Jan 10, 2011
Michele
rated it:
I loved this book. I loved everything about it. It just spoke to me. I loved Tessa and her love of hiking and the way she delighted in helping other women discover their own power and the power of hiking. I could relate to the joy she found in just putting one foot in front of the other. I loved Vince and how much he loved his little daughters and his fierce "provider-protector" instinct, and I loved the way he fell in love with Tessa. I loved Sam, Tessa's father, and his surfer dude v
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Nov 03, 2011
Katherine
rated it:
This is a great book. The story stays with me even now. The characters are well developed and the story line is believable and draws the reader in. The novel is poignant and thought-provoking and contains lessons about life,love,loss, and the true meaning of happiness. The Secret of Everything's theme carries through that life is difficult, at times, but brings its own rewards. All the characters in this story seem to discover this. Nicely done!
Jan 17, 2012
Vanessa
rated it:
It could be that I'm just in a sappy frame of mind right now and am always a sucker for a story with dogs in it, but I loved this book. Touching, mysterious, great characters (even if the hero and heroine are unrealistically perfectly good looking, which I normally don't like. But here, it makes the sex better), delicious narrative and yummy recipes to boot.
Jan 10, 2011
Patty
rated it:
I don't know why Barbara O'Neal writes as Barbara Samuel or vice versa. All I know is I like her writing and I thought she had stopped since I couldn't find any new books by Barbara Samuel.
I just read a blog post where Barbara says her "question" (the one she is answering in her novels) is why do some people survive harsh challenges and why don't others. This is why I read her books. I like the way she answers this question.
In The Secret of Everything, O'Neal is looking at Tessa Har More...
I just read a blog post where Barbara says her "question" (the one she is answering in her novels) is why do some people survive harsh challenges and why don't others. This is why I read her books. I like the way she answers this question.
In The Secret of Everything, O'Neal is looking at Tessa Har More...
Jul 07, 2011
Rebecca
rated it:
Again with the "half stars" thing. I would give this one 3 1/2 if I could. I liked the second half of the book better than the first, and of the three books I've read of Barbara's, I like this one the least. But, I still like a good story about cooking, and this one included several really good recipes.
Jan 10, 2011
Michele
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Mar 20, 2011
Tracy
rated it:
Similar in feel to her other novels, this focuses on a woman discovering secrets of her past that lay in an commune from the 60s where she was born and where her mother dies. There is a breakfast place in the novel called "100 Breakfasts" and the recipes in the novel are all from that menu.
