Secret Words

Secret Dreams #1

by Miranda P. Charles

A steamy and sweet stand-alone novel that will touch the core of your heart.

When Jasmine Allen met Kane Summers in the unlikeliest of places, she wasn't expecting the swift and immediate attraction she felt for him. But Jasmine had a secret she wasn't at all comfortable sharing with anyone, least of all, the hunky guy who was literally sweeping her off her feet.

Kane Summers was a sucker for damsels in distress. When he found himself wanting to protect Jasmine Allen in more ways than one, the instant chemistry they had for each other hit him squarely in the chest. But Kane's life was complicated, and he wasn't totally free to act on the fascination he felt for her.

Kane and Jasmine were fighting a losing battle to stay away from each other. But circumstances--and certain people--beyond their control were very much intent on keeping them apart.

How could they find their way past secrets and malicious intents to nurture a love that, if given the chance, could last a lifetime?

This is a stand-alone novel that would give you enjoyment on its own. However, to enhance your of the Secret Dreams Series, the author recommends reading them in order.

Secret Dreams Series

Book 1: Secret Words (Jasmine Allen and Kane Summers)
Book 2: Secret Designs (Ari Mitchell and Dylan Summers)
Book 3: Secret Moves (Kristen McCann and Trey Andrews)
Book 4: Secret Tastes (Samantha Lane and Adam Craig)

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Amazon, Ebooks, Erotica

ebook

First published July 13, 2013

About the author

Miranda P. Charles writes swoonworthy, stirring, and steamy contemporary romance novels with oh-so-sweet heroes and strong heroines.

She prefers to spend her time in front of her laptop, putting into words the love stories that play in her head. Don't get her started with reading a great book, though, because she tends to not put it down until she gets to the last page even if she loses sleep.

She does have a life outside of books. Mostly, that consists of bonding with family and friends or going on romantic trips with her awesome husband.

She lives in the beautiful city of Sydney, Australia.

Reviews

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is everything that is wrong with romance. Characters are cliches, dialogue is flat, and the plot is ridiculous. Adding insult to the injury: the big plot device is a ludicrous sacrifice the heroine makes and keeps secret from the hero. So. Bad.

Here is my I-Read-It-So-You-Don't-Have-To plot breakdown (consider this whole thing a spoiler):
Jasmine is soooooo sassy, she uses the (gasp!) men's bathroom when the ladies' is out of order! (SO sassy.)
Kane is so sexy. (Take a moment to absorb those names: Kane Summers and Jasmine Allen. Yeah.)
They dry hump like naughty bunnies.
Jasmine has a secret. (she's a romance writer. A succussful one! When she tells him later, he doesn't give a shit and they have more unsexy sex.)
Oh noes, Kane has a secret, too! Kane is ... ENGAGED! Oopsies! But it's okay, he only proposed because Hannah was pregnant, and now he's going to dump her manipulative ass. She only got pregnant to hook him. Because that's what females do.
Gasp! Jasmine has a stalker! Kane must act as a bodyguard!
The stalker was all a big misunderstanding! Sooooo stressful!
Kane and Jasmine have lots of sexy times as soon as he breaks up with poor Hannah. (No, it is not hot. It's just ... not.)

Needing to feel him, she groped until she found his impressive bulge.
"Jaz, baby," he panted.
Hurriedly, she unzipped him. With two pairs of hands eager to rid him of his clothes, he was naked in no time.
Her hand found him again as he lay back next to her. She keenly explored the manhood she'd been fantasising about for weeks. He was more magnificent that she'd imagined— and very wet with his pre- come.
"Baby, I'm too close," he croaked in her ear.
"Then come inside me. Now, please."

Gasp! Someone who writes like a twelve year old is blackmailing Jasmine! She can't tell Kane because ... the blackmailer says so!
Jasmine fakebreakups with Kane because that's what the blackmailer demands. She twists the knife deeper by texting him to just leave her alone.
Sadness. Tears flow.
Kane finds out about the blackmailing.
Kane and Jasmine have more sexytimes.
The blackmailer is NOT Jasmine's ex, George. George is a nice guy! The pseudo-stalker, Tim, is a nice guy too! The blackmailer is Minerva! George's ex! Because women are petty and vindictive. Guys are nice guys.
Jasmine moves into Kane's gorgeous house, and he insists she accept his credit cards! Squeeee! No, I am not making this up.
Marriage Proposal.
The End.
So. Bad.

[Debra Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prch Amz October 9, 2013
Finished Reading
October 28, 2013

Refraining from rating this one.
I somewhat remember it & remember liking it.
I have the Entire Series!
Yet this one ended up on my book rejected shelf and I don't know why!
So, the only thing to do is read the next book in the series.
I should also do a 'Quick' scan/reread of this one.
I remember there being hot steamy sex scenes.
I remember liking the characters.
Alas, that's about all I remember.
But obviously there had to be a reason for me to purchase the entire series.
I think it's a GR blip. Those actually happen to me a lot.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc provided by author or honest Review.

Jasmine Allen and Kane Summers first meet at a park , to be more specific, the parks men's room; bit of a humorous scene and best described by the author. During this scene Jasmine twist her ankle and finds herself being carried back to the group of party attendees in the park by the hunk of a man Kane and Kane is finding himself just a bit protective. This story is a love at first sight , but do not think that this is going to be an easy journey to an HEA, because it s not.
Kane has secrets that will keep him from truly reaching for a relationship with Jasmine, even though the two of them have an immediate attraction. To spite Kane's secrets he has ahead time keeping his distance and eventually comes clean about having a fiancé that he has been trying to break it off with and just taking it slowly with Jasmine. During this time is when the lunatics all start coming out of Jasmines closet, stackers, x boyfriends who feel slighted and trying to destroy Jasmine,s relationship with Kane , her reputation and her budding writing career.

The scenes between Kane and Jasmine. Are sweet, sexy and some pretty darn hot. I have purposely kept my story synopsis short; I do not want to give away too much info since the journey through the book is so worth the read.

This is my first book by this author and I am looking forward to reading more in this series .

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won't finish this one, too dumb, hokey and predictable. I've had good luck with the bookbub free ebooks lately but not with this one.

[Desert Mystic · Rating 5 out of 5]

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 (5 out of 5)

***Spoiler Free Review***
They both a secret, but will those secrets bind them together or keep them apart?

I loved this book! It was a funny and the writing was great. This is the first book in the Secret Dreams series and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Jasmine and Kane had me hooked right from the start. They had the ultimate cute-meet (for those who are like what the heck is a cute-meet, it’s when the two main characters meet in a cute way). There were of course some ups and downs in their relationship but I always feel the ups and downs make the make the relationship more believable.

I felt that all of the characters were written with depth and substance. The overall storyline had me hooked from the start. It was just the right amount of mystery, drama, and love story all wrapped into one. Miranda kept me guessing and trying to solve the mystery the entire time. That being said the mystery is not the main part of the book, I’m just a closet detective and like to pretend I’m Sherlock Holmes.

I read a lot and this was a truly original storyline, which I must say was very refreshing. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

[Debbie Duncalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story which has some really well written characters within it. By the time I got to the end I felt that I knew the characters as well as my own family. So much so I am happy that there are more stories in this series.

[Marissa Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasmine and Kane story was beautiful! I was happy to see them together through everything they had against them. I just love a happy ending! It was perfect!

[AnjaliC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Secrets That Are Not Well Kept

I have read Miranda P. Charles' Lifestyle By Design Series and some books were good, but it was still mediocre. This book was in my library as it was free, so I decided to read it. Oh boy, it was very immature at times...

Corporate Trainer, Jasmine Allen is visiting Sydney to figure out if she would prefer to live there for her work and to attend her sister, Jessa's wedding to Rob. During her visit, she meets a guy that totally turns her crank and the instant love attraction trope is developed. Jasmine has her own secrets that she is afraid of revealing but maybe she should take a chance.

Architect and Architectural Firm Director, Kane Summers is in a messy situation. During the celebrations of his sister's best friend wedding, he runs into an attractive woman, who makes him feel things that he hasn't in a while. His protective instincts come into play and he will do anything to win the regards of this damsel in distress.

The premise of the story was good and could have developed into something awesome. However, the authoress has a tendency to over explain things. What were secrets, are nothing to be embarrassed about. The situation that the male protagonist found himself in, didn't make him honorable. The female protagonist constantly thinking about what is right for the other person in the relationship was annoying. Also, the convoluted way things were made into connections and discussed, left me unimpressed.

There were two saving graces. The sex scenes were hot and fun, but the situation surrounding them was not, so it did take away from it somewhat. The supporting characters had more sense than the main roles, but the authoress didn't use them fully.

I can't recommend this book. But if you prefer the instant love books where the couple is emotional and needs to grow, you may like this story.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine has an embarrassing slip—literally in the men’s bathroom. Luckily, Hunky Kane was there to sweep her off her feet, literally.

The 2 have instant chemistry, but could secrets keep them apart?

Jasmine is an erotic romance author penning under a secret identity. Kane is engaged to a woman he doesn’t want. You hope the 2 are able to work things out, but things just keep happening that make it hard. For one thing, his crazy ex won’t rest until she gets him back.

It’s a rollercoaster of jealousy, romance, and blackmail.

[Alice Bloomfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars ⭐️⭐️

I love almost everything Miranda has written. This is the exception. My major problem with this book is that it has a messy relationship timeline. He is still with his fiancé at the time they get together and while he makes moves towards breakup pre-them getting together the timeline is too messy for my comfort and it just leaves me feeling completely sick so I want to love this and I can’t .

[Kerry H · Rating 3 out of 5]

In all, a good read.

A sweet romance with a bit of action, suspense and drama tossed in with big helping of passion between Jasmine and Kane. This was a page turner for me and the characters were well developed but the plot had some drags to it and disjointed in a few places. Still, in all, a good read.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not good at all.

The "romance" is the laziest of laziest insta-love set-ups, and the obstacles placed in the happy-by-author-fiat couple's way rely heavily on the pair of them being too foolish to do the sensible thing. And the less said about the contortions the author goes through to try and excuse the behaviour of the secondary male characters, the better.

[Deanna Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good but enjoyed it very much…

Don’t know what to say to this book but, these two seem like each other company and hopefully they can get past it from someone who did the blackmail Jasmine…

Looking forward to read more book series soon…

[Milena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing and won't bother with the rest of the series.

[Broken Souls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review To Come

[Alyssa Conway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Low end of 3. It was ok.

[Beachbaby]

In boxed set - "Secret Dreams: The Complete Series"

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (5/24/2023)! 🎁

[Angel Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read.

[Inga · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve been crying for half of the book.
Not because it’s sad but because it’s so bad.
I’ve been crying my eyes out because I’m bored out of my mind.
There is so much wrong with this book.
The best part of this book are just 2 words, the end!
At 10% I just gave up.

[JWinter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very predictable and the characters are shallow and unlikable.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Words by Miranda P. Charles
Review by: Kayla

Synopsis: When Jasmine Allen met Kane Summers in the unlikeliest of places, she wasn't expecting the swift and immediate attraction she felt for him. But Jasmine had a secret she wasn't at all comfortable sharing with anyone, least of all, the hunky guy who was literally sweeping her off her feet.

Kane Summers was a sucker for damsels in distress. When he found himself wanting to protect Jasmine Allen in more ways than one, the instant chemistry they had for each other hit him squarely in the chest. But Kane's life was complicated, and he wasn't totally free to act on the fascination he felt for her.

Kane and Jasmine were fighting a losing battle to stay away from each other. But circumstances - and certain people - beyond their control were very much intent on keeping them apart.

How could they find their way past secrets and malicious intents to nurture a love that, if given the chance, could last a lifetime?

˃˃˃ A sexy, entertaining novel that stands on its own.

Secret Words is a complete stand-alone novel. It is the first of four beautifully passionate, steamy love stories from the Secret Dreams series.

This book is for adults only. It contains hot sexual content.

Review: I was given a copy of Secret Words by Ashley’s Reading Bliss for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. I loved Jasmine and Kane’s story. It had a dilemma, romance, and passion. I love a good book and I think that Miranda did a good job in writing this story. It was a good standalone book. But I think it could have potential for more. Jasmine has a secret and Kane loves helping a woman in distress. They have this connection that can’t be broken or can it? I think this book is a good read and I would recommend it to my friends. I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like her previous book I read, Will to Love, the characters are very cliched.

Instantly, the moment they met, Kane is calling Jasmine by her nickname like everyone else does, Jaz. Now, probably just me, but I don't call people by their nicknames on their first day, not unless they give me permission. In my opinion, nicknames are a way of showing how close you are to people.

While the story line itself is interesting, the characters were bland and predictable and very very cliched. They needed more exploration to make them more likeable and relateable. At some points it felt like I was reading the characters thoughts but in a third person form. Now usually when this happens, it is very easy to distinguish. Instead it felt more forced here.

Spoilers, in the middle of the story, Jasmine gets blackmailed. And by who? A character we only see the last chapter in. There are a few minor characters, and the ones that offer support appear more then the other minor characters that offer conflict. The conflict minor characters only had a few paragraphs, not offering enough to understand them, or enough to get our own opinion to like or hate them. We are only given forced thoughts, to make us follow the main characters thoughts of the characters. I've read better fanfiction characters then this.

I gave one extra star due to the fact that I like the fact that the story takes place in non-stereo type Australia. That's it.

[Victoria Rainey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Words is the first book in the Secret Dreams Contemporary Romance series by Miranda P. Charles. The characters in this book are in the same world as Ms. Charles’s Lifestyle By Design series. So some of these characters might seems familiar if you have read Ms. Charles other books.

Jasmine Allen meets Kane Summers in the men’s restroom when the woman’s restroom is blocked and she tries to sneak in to use it. Jasmine is an author but keeps it under wraps from almost everyone around her. When it comes to her writing, she seems unsure of her abilities.

Kane falls for Jasmine the minute he sees her. Kane as secrets he is reluctant to share because he does not want to ruin this budding relationship. Kane is a strong and sweet man. He seems to do the right thing regardless of what he wants.

The chemistry between Kane and Jasmine is blistering hot. The sex scenes were hot and spicy. I loved that Kane was honest with Jasmine about Hannah, and the baby. Not many people have those kinds of morals anymore.

I loved this story. This book kept me entertained right from the start. I loved that I kept guessing as to who was behind the threating emails. The main and secondary characters were interesting and amusing. Overall, this was a great read. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read and loved Ms Charles Lifestyle By Design Series I was delighted to receive an ARC of the 1st book in her new series. This new series runs alongside characters from her Design series.

The book is about Jessa's sister (Jessa was in Heart Robber (Lifestyle by Design Book 2)), Jasmine and Kane, Fayes's brother (Faye was in Ray of Love (Lifestyle by Design Book 3)).

Jaz and Kane meet when attending a birthday party and instantly feel a spark of attraction. However it is revealed later to Jaz that Kane is engaged to be married. Due to things that have occurred in that relationship Kane is seeking to break off the engagement.

Enter the clingy Hannah and weird Tim and you are in for a fantastic read with some nice steamy love scenes thrown in!! I have to say the twist to the blackmailing of Jaz I did not see coming, I was certain I knew who it was!

All in all it is a lovely read, ideal for sitting by a pool or on the beach. It's a true feel good romance and the phone call Jaz receives towards the end of the book will lead nicely into book 2 which is pencilled in to be released in September 2013.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good Mills and Boon type romance and this author is certainly on my 'authors I must read list'!

[Teresa Rosenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book for free, so my expectations were pretty low (I've read a LOT of REALLY TERRIBLE books since signing up for Bookbub). Compared to other free books, this one only had a few grammar or usage errors -- few and far enough apart that I did read the whole book. My problem was that I just couldn't get into the story. These characters struck me as being impulsive and rash and not particularly mature, and their "love" bloomed so quickly, that I just couldn't believe (as I have in other romance novels) that their initial lust had a chance of developing into something that would last. The other problem I had was that the requisite "obstacles" to their relationship were all people who were upset with one main character or the other, and stalking or harassing them pretty doggedly -- but it turns out in two of the three cases just to be a misunderstanding. I really didn't find that the least bit plausible, either. People who act out like that cause real damage, and it can't possibly be all explained away a few short weeks later.

Anyway, kudos to the author for at least having a pretty good grasp of the English language. Unfortunately the story just didn't quite ring true.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine isn't looking for love but can't deny she is attracted to Kane. He comes to her rescue several times and as she begins to like him she finds the timing is not right. Kane can't get into a relationship right now but that doesn't stop him from wanting Jasmine. When they both seem to have things worked out their past comes back to haunt them. Can they work things out or is there to much keeping them apart.

I really enjoyed this book so much. Both Jasmine and Kane are wonderful characters who have great intentions. They don't want to see anyone hurt and would rather be apart than someone hurt the other. You can see they are perfect for each other and have lots of heat between them. This book has several sexy scenes to spice things up. It also has a mystery to it and I have to say I didn't have it figured out one bit. The author does a great job writing this as it keeps you guessing. You also meet a whole delightful cast of characters that just intrigue you into wanting to know more. If you love a hot story with a great story line pick this up.

[Mary Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Words is a fun romantic ride with some twists and turns that I didn't expect. Jasmine meets Kane when she needs to desperately use a restroom so she resorts to the men's room. Their first encounter is fun and quirky as Kane assists a damsel in distress. Both Kane and Jasmine have secret's in their lives that seem to keep them at arm's length but when Jasmine is in need of a rescue a second time, Kane doesn't hesitate to step in. This allows them to have a slow build into a steamy relationship. As they get closer, people in their lives conspire to keep them apart which pushes Jasmine to make the ultimate sacrifice. Step in the best friends that make the right moves to get this relationship back on track. I truly enjoyed both Jasmine and Kane – each brought something to the table in their relationship and you saw them take this and build toward something bigger for their future.

[Lisa Filipe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is SO MUCH FUN! I have to say I am so excited that I started the series NOW, when Book Three, SECRET MOVES, has just been released!! (See Below for info)

SECRET WORDS starts the series with Kane and Jaz, whom have some "issues" when it comes to crazy ex'x trying to keep them apart. From the first page when they meet, I was so excited to see where the book was going to take me, and I was certainly not disappointed!



Now SECRET DESIGNS stars Kane's brother Dylan and Jaz's New Bestie, Ari, and do they have some CHEMISTRY!! I really enjoyed the story and how Miranda keeps the story moving without me wanting to put the book down!

Naughty Dylan has some trust issues and Ari had already been with a guy who used his money against her...where will that leave them when all is said and done! You will have to read to find out!!

[Book Junky Girls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jasmine has a secret life she doesn't want anyone to know about. When she comes to town for her sisters wedding she meets Kane. Kane has a big secret too, one that he's trying to get solved, but meeting Jasmine has him all in knots trying to get things sorted faster. Their attraction is intense, but could their secrets keep them apart or can they work together so they can be together?

This story was a short, fast paced novel that keeps you guessing right up until the end. Loved the characters and their relationships with each other.

They had their ups and there downs. All their friends and family Pulling for their happiness and in the end...well you just have to read to find out.

If your looking for a quick east read...One click it!