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Corrigan & Co. #10
Loving My Secret
Sometimes you have to say goodbye before you can give yourself the chance at hello…
For over a decade, Reina has waited for Matt to come back to her. She’s put up with his ridicule, his other women, and his lies. All because she’s loved him since she was a teenager. She’s not that girl anymore, and she’s done playing his games. She’s learned that love simply isn’t enough, and it’s time for her to walk away.
Fighting for another chance is harder than going to war…
Matt fell in love with Reina years ago, and has never truly wanted anyone else. He’s finally bared his soul—and his secrets—to her, but it’s too late to stop her from leaving. He’s going to have to fight for both of them, and prove that he can be the man they both need him to be.
When love isn’t enough, and the SECRETS keep coming, can they find a way to start over again?
For over a decade, Reina has waited for Matt to come back to her. She’s put up with his ridicule, his other women, and his lies. All because she’s loved him since she was a teenager. She’s not that girl anymore, and she’s done playing his games. She’s learned that love simply isn’t enough, and it’s time for her to walk away.
Fighting for another chance is harder than going to war…
Matt fell in love with Reina years ago, and has never truly wanted anyone else. He’s finally bared his soul—and his secrets—to her, but it’s too late to stop her from leaving. He’s going to have to fight for both of them, and prove that he can be the man they both need him to be.
When love isn’t enough, and the SECRETS keep coming, can they find a way to start over again?
ebook
First published October 1, 2015
16 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Crystal Perkins
75 books426 followers2018 RWA Steffie Walker Bookseller of the Year
2016 RT Creative Initiatives Award
Crystal Perkins has always been a big reader, but she never thought she would write her own book, until she sat down in 2014 and did it. She's now published over 40 books, and has been featured in several anthologies as well.
She lived in Las Vegas for over a decade, where you could find her running author events and winning bookseller awards. She's was recently living in North Dakota to be closer to her family, but she is back in Vegas. When she's not reading a few hundred books a year or chasing after her grandson, you can find her watching hockey (Go Knights Go!) and trying to find the perfect shade of lipstick.
She loves Star Wars AND Star Trek, but if pushed to choose, it will always be Leia and her crew who come out on top. Her love of all things nerdy comes through in her book characters, no matter the genre. A mac and cheese connoisseur, she travels the world looking for the perfect version, while attending book conventions and signings as a cover for her research. Poutine research is also conducted regularly on her trips.
Her first series, The Griffin Brothers, followed four billionaire brothers, and the third book, Creating a Love, was a finalist for a multicultural award in 2014. Her second series, Corrigan & Co. featured a secret society of female spies in Las Vegas. She followed this with Society Girls, which offered a glimpse into the training of the women who are recruited into the Corrigan & Co. Foundation, and the Society. The Company Men series featured the relatives of her secret society of spies.
Activate is a Young Adult Sci-Fi standalone novel, and A Kiss Is Just a Kiss is a Romantic Comedy standalone book. If you like something darker, you can find her Horror short stories in the Never Fear anthologies!
She’s currently writing about modern day witches in her Burn series, and bridesmaids for hire who solve mysteries in The Maids! In 2020, she will also be starting a hockey novella series.
Crystal loves hearing from her readers, so please feel free to send her an email, Facebook message, or Tweet! She's also on Instagram, where you can see her monthly reads!
Crystal@crystalperkinsauthor.com
facebook.com/crystalperkinsauthor
Twitter: @wondermomlv
Instagram: @crystalperkinsauthor
2016 RT Creative Initiatives Award
Crystal Perkins has always been a big reader, but she never thought she would write her own book, until she sat down in 2014 and did it. She's now published over 40 books, and has been featured in several anthologies as well.
She lived in Las Vegas for over a decade, where you could find her running author events and winning bookseller awards. She's was recently living in North Dakota to be closer to her family, but she is back in Vegas. When she's not reading a few hundred books a year or chasing after her grandson, you can find her watching hockey (Go Knights Go!) and trying to find the perfect shade of lipstick.
She loves Star Wars AND Star Trek, but if pushed to choose, it will always be Leia and her crew who come out on top. Her love of all things nerdy comes through in her book characters, no matter the genre. A mac and cheese connoisseur, she travels the world looking for the perfect version, while attending book conventions and signings as a cover for her research. Poutine research is also conducted regularly on her trips.
Her first series, The Griffin Brothers, followed four billionaire brothers, and the third book, Creating a Love, was a finalist for a multicultural award in 2014. Her second series, Corrigan & Co. featured a secret society of female spies in Las Vegas. She followed this with Society Girls, which offered a glimpse into the training of the women who are recruited into the Corrigan & Co. Foundation, and the Society. The Company Men series featured the relatives of her secret society of spies.
Activate is a Young Adult Sci-Fi standalone novel, and A Kiss Is Just a Kiss is a Romantic Comedy standalone book. If you like something darker, you can find her Horror short stories in the Never Fear anthologies!
She’s currently writing about modern day witches in her Burn series, and bridesmaids for hire who solve mysteries in The Maids! In 2020, she will also be starting a hockey novella series.
Crystal loves hearing from her readers, so please feel free to send her an email, Facebook message, or Tweet! She's also on Instagram, where you can see her monthly reads!
Crystal@crystalperkinsauthor.com
facebook.com/crystalperkinsauthor
Twitter: @wondermomlv
Instagram: @crystalperkinsauthor
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 4, 2016
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I had the pleasure of beta reading this and all I can say is, Holy wow!
I have been excited for Matt and Reina's book ever since I first met them in the beginning of this series and each book has had a little part of them that just got me even more excited. I was actually a little nervous to start reading their story because I was afraid that I got myself too excited for it and would be disappointed when it didn't meet my expectations.
I had nothing to fear!
I won't tell you what their story is about because you will just need to read the series to find out. Then you can suffer until the very last one to get the story that you will be dying for. Mwhahaha
The story is in the present time but then we have emails that remind us of things that we saw happen in the different books and they lead to a small part of Matt and Reina's past. I loved getting the story of how they came to be and I knew it would be amazing and out of the box because Crystal Perkins is just a genius like that.
I loved the emails and getting to see things that we only glimpsed before in Reina or Matt's POV. It gave a whole new light to what I thought I knew and some of the past just blew my mind at how crazy it was. The emails were fantastic and the author of them (another secret for you!) never changed but who was reading them did. I thought it was great how just the feel of the overall email would change when the reader did. It really made reading them seem more real.
Reina will forever be the most kickass woman of the Society and I loved her character. She was fierce and a total badass, which we already knew. But in this book we got to see a different, more vulnerable, side to her and it actually made me like her even more. She was always there for the one she loved even when he was pushing her away and only someone as strong as Reina would be able to put up with his shit.
Matt...well I wanted to kick him in the balls repeatedly. The past things he did were so stupid and he was such an asshole! I was hating on him hard, but he came around and made me change my mind about him. He did more than grovel his way back into Reina's good graces, he went all out for her and I swooned hard
Bottom line, this book is amazing and I loved it and didn't want it to end. I just wish I could forget all about reading it that way I can go back and read it from the beginning again for the first time.
I had the pleasure of beta reading this and all I can say is, Holy wow!
I have been excited for Matt and Reina's book ever since I first met them in the beginning of this series and each book has had a little part of them that just got me even more excited. I was actually a little nervous to start reading their story because I was afraid that I got myself too excited for it and would be disappointed when it didn't meet my expectations.
I had nothing to fear!
I won't tell you what their story is about because you will just need to read the series to find out. Then you can suffer until the very last one to get the story that you will be dying for. Mwhahaha
The story is in the present time but then we have emails that remind us of things that we saw happen in the different books and they lead to a small part of Matt and Reina's past. I loved getting the story of how they came to be and I knew it would be amazing and out of the box because Crystal Perkins is just a genius like that.
I loved the emails and getting to see things that we only glimpsed before in Reina or Matt's POV. It gave a whole new light to what I thought I knew and some of the past just blew my mind at how crazy it was. The emails were fantastic and the author of them (another secret for you!) never changed but who was reading them did. I thought it was great how just the feel of the overall email would change when the reader did. It really made reading them seem more real.
Reina will forever be the most kickass woman of the Society and I loved her character. She was fierce and a total badass, which we already knew. But in this book we got to see a different, more vulnerable, side to her and it actually made me like her even more. She was always there for the one she loved even when he was pushing her away and only someone as strong as Reina would be able to put up with his shit.
Matt...well I wanted to kick him in the balls repeatedly. The past things he did were so stupid and he was such an asshole! I was hating on him hard, but he came around and made me change my mind about him. He did more than grovel his way back into Reina's good graces, he went all out for her and I swooned hard
Bottom line, this book is amazing and I loved it and didn't want it to end. I just wish I could forget all about reading it that way I can go back and read it from the beginning again for the first time.
September 12, 2021
2 ⭐⭐ - Meh!
============
==>2021
I reread it to be sure of my initial impression on the first reading and found it much worse. Mental abuse for years and all is forgiven with a few gifts and a few flowers.
What a loser! Our Zeroine should take advantage of all the Foundation's support and undergo psychological treatment to overcome the traumas and abuses suffered and move on. Kick Zero's ass and conquer a real hero.
==> 2018
"Zero" is an abusive asshole.
Mental abuse.
She is a doormat for more than ten years, accepts all kinds of humiliation and abuse.
==>quote from Lessons in Secret:
==>quotes from Rocking a Secret:
============
==>2021
I reread it to be sure of my initial impression on the first reading and found it much worse. Mental abuse for years and all is forgiven with a few gifts and a few flowers.
What a loser! Our Zeroine should take advantage of all the Foundation's support and undergo psychological treatment to overcome the traumas and abuses suffered and move on. Kick Zero's ass and conquer a real hero.
==> 2018
"Zero" is an abusive asshole.
Mental abuse.
She is a doormat for more than ten years, accepts all kinds of humiliation and abuse.
“And you deserved better than the man you fell in love with. You still do.”
==>quote from Lessons in Secret:
I use her, and she lets me. Even when she knows I’ll take another woman to bed the next night. It’s not that she lacks self-respect. She does it because she loves me, and she believes I love her, too. I do. I’d die for her, and kill for her. I just know I’m wrong for her.
==>quotes from Rocking a Secret:
“Why are you looking at me, Matt? I’ve never been a consideration in whether you’re keeping it in your pants or not.”
Reina stands so fast that her chair rolls back to slam into the wall. “You bastard. I hate you so much.”
“Good,” he tells her, standing as she stalks towards him. “Then maybe you’ll really move on and stop looking like a sad little puppy when you’re around me.”
Read
October 11, 2015Seriously? This is all you got??
Seriously this is it? This is why he was the biggest @ss ever for a dozen years? Come on...he is surrounded by killers, and is one. But what he did caused him to literally humiliate the one "he loves" his "beautiful queen"? Intentionally hurt her over and over, and her the fool accepting it? The author couldn't come up with a better secret than this? I admit I haven't read the entire series, nor do I have any desire to. The characters are 2 dimensional, delusional, and stupid. At the beginning of the book the author mentions the importance of writing about this couple, yet gives them this story. He accidentally killed an innocent man when he was a soldier, so not only does he spend his life making amends to the guys family, he treats the one he loves like crap because....oh yeah I could never figure that out. And the emails were lame, syrupy and over the top and I started skipping them. Not enough gifts in the world and this story should be rewritten.
Seriously this is it? This is why he was the biggest @ss ever for a dozen years? Come on...he is surrounded by killers, and is one. But what he did caused him to literally humiliate the one "he loves" his "beautiful queen"? Intentionally hurt her over and over, and her the fool accepting it? The author couldn't come up with a better secret than this? I admit I haven't read the entire series, nor do I have any desire to. The characters are 2 dimensional, delusional, and stupid. At the beginning of the book the author mentions the importance of writing about this couple, yet gives them this story. He accidentally killed an innocent man when he was a soldier, so not only does he spend his life making amends to the guys family, he treats the one he loves like crap because....oh yeah I could never figure that out. And the emails were lame, syrupy and over the top and I started skipping them. Not enough gifts in the world and this story should be rewritten.
January 1, 2016
This is the book that nearly broke me when I was writing it. I've been writing bits and pieces of these characters for 13 books, and to finally give them the book they deserved was important to me. Their HEA wan't an easy one to get to, but they earned it!
Want to read
March 19, 2020🎁 The Complete Corrigan & Co.Series (10 book series) is FREE on Amazon US and on iBooks today (3/19/2020)! 🎁
October 13, 2015
LAME SECRET, LAME HERO, LAME HEROINE.
October 26, 2015
Exactly what I expected and more....LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 31, 2018
Very one dimensional writing. If the writing could have conveyed all the hurt the "H" puts our h through, it would have been a spectacular angst fest, but it's not. Sigh, on to the next one.
December 3, 2015
Loved this book!! Can't to read about all the weddings!!!
September 20, 2015
Recieved an ARC for a review.
I have been waiting for Matt and Reina forever. I went into Loving my Secret thinking Matt was a butthead and Reina was a doormat. Perkins has a a way of writing that makes you grow to hate and love them all over again. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going she flipped it on me. I can honestly say I love Matt and Reina together and they are the perfect power couple. It is a great way to end the series and Perkins gives us the seeds for the next series.
I have been waiting for Matt and Reina forever. I went into Loving my Secret thinking Matt was a butthead and Reina was a doormat. Perkins has a a way of writing that makes you grow to hate and love them all over again. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going she flipped it on me. I can honestly say I love Matt and Reina together and they are the perfect power couple. It is a great way to end the series and Perkins gives us the seeds for the next series.
October 10, 2015
Matt & Reina ❤️❤️
Wow this story! There are some stories and characters that leave you speechless, breathless and at times slightly broken, and Loving my SECRET Matt & Reina's story is definitely one of them!
This story is beautifully written, with such attention to detail giving us a special view of Matt & Reina's story from the beginning!
As always every time I thought I knew what would happen next or my emotions were under control Crystal left me in awe and crying (happy/sad/angry) tears!
Again Crystal Perkins has surpassed my expectations!
A must read!
Wow this story! There are some stories and characters that leave you speechless, breathless and at times slightly broken, and Loving my SECRET Matt & Reina's story is definitely one of them!
This story is beautifully written, with such attention to detail giving us a special view of Matt & Reina's story from the beginning!
As always every time I thought I knew what would happen next or my emotions were under control Crystal left me in awe and crying (happy/sad/angry) tears!
Again Crystal Perkins has surpassed my expectations!
A must read!
October 20, 2015
We waited, usually impatiently, for Matt and Reina's story. We knew it would be twisty and have loads of backstory. And I must say I was not disappointed. It could have been longer. And we all knew Matt was going to come through it as being #1 asshat, but he definitely redeemed himself. Thank you Crystal for FINALLY giving us Matt and Reina's HEA. Can't wait for the Society weddings and the Girls.
January 2, 2016
This was probably the hardest book of the series to read. I knew it was coming. Matt and Reina had to have it out finally. It has been building the whole series. But I can not tell you how my heart broke for them both! Just be careful that you don't get so missed off that you throw your e-reader! Really, don't say I didn't warn you! LT
June 11, 2017
This is my absolute favourite of this series. Crystal write the series perfectly, building you up for this amazing book!!!
There are time where Matty boy deserved a slap of ten, but he redeemed himself.
Beautiful story ❤️
There are time where Matty boy deserved a slap of ten, but he redeemed himself.
Beautiful story ❤️
Read
January 28, 2016DNF. Not a standalone, made no sense without having read any other books in the series and didn't intrigue me enough to want to read them.
February 1, 2016
Liked this book.from the frist book you wated to know about these two! was rooting from them from the start to the end of the book!
June 19, 2016
PATHETIC HEROINE,LOOSER HERO
June 20, 2022
I liked the overall setup and the characters. Havent read the rest of the books so whatever opinion of characters I have made is just from this book.
I didnt like the hero. He was not really bright. I tried hard to understand why he did to heroine what he did and kind of understand. What I cannot accept is that he never really thought of how to get her back. It was other peoples prompts that lead me to make those gestures to win her over. He was unnecessarily cruel to her. I liked the writing style about those events (Hero or heroine reading his unsent emails to her AND then reliving what really happened during that event). It was something new I read. Anyways I got why all those emails made heroine more upset and I loved that hero read those emails laters himself to realize how much they must have hurt her.
There is cheating on hero's part for sure. I am not sure about heroine's part but I am 99% sure that there is. They didnt have a real marriage apparently. That part is unclear to me. I might have missed something.
I did end up not like some characters . He trusted them but not the heroine whom he supposedly loved.
Heroine was strong and did take a stand. She did make him work for his forgiveness.
Strong supporting characters. I do want to read rest of the stories.
I didnt like the hero. He was not really bright. I tried hard to understand why he did to heroine what he did and kind of understand. What I cannot accept is that he never really thought of how to get her back. It was other peoples prompts that lead me to make those gestures to win her over. He was unnecessarily cruel to her. I liked the writing style about those events (Hero or heroine reading his unsent emails to her AND then reliving what really happened during that event). It was something new I read. Anyways I got why all those emails made heroine more upset and I loved that hero read those emails laters himself to realize how much they must have hurt her.
There is cheating on hero's part for sure. I am not sure about heroine's part but I am 99% sure that there is. They didnt have a real marriage apparently. That part is unclear to me. I might have missed something.
I did end up not like some characters . He trusted them but not the heroine whom he supposedly loved.
Heroine was strong and did take a stand. She did make him work for his forgiveness.
Strong supporting characters. I do want to read rest of the stories.
September 2, 2018
first, note that i like this author.
ok, this book is garbage. i cant belive this is considered a romance kind of book. there was no romance in any part of this book. how can you say you love someone who you constantly abuse, mentally and PHYSICALLY, because yes, there was phisical abuse.
Matt is a hateful person the entire book, and his reason to not be with the one "he loved" is stupid, he IS a killer and so is she. and Reina... COME ON!!!!! how can you even let him do that to you... she is the most stupid person (or one of the most stupid at least) i have ever read about, she was a total doormat, and she liked it because she always went back for more. i mean, these books are supose to be about strong, intelligent and independent women, caracteristics that reina lacks.
well, i would say DO NOT READ!!!!! but everybody has their own likes, and there were people who liked this.
and again, i like some of this authors books, sometimes they have too much drama for my liking, but they are good anyway.
ok, this book is garbage. i cant belive this is considered a romance kind of book. there was no romance in any part of this book. how can you say you love someone who you constantly abuse, mentally and PHYSICALLY, because yes, there was phisical abuse.
Matt is a hateful person the entire book, and his reason to not be with the one "he loved" is stupid, he IS a killer and so is she. and Reina... COME ON!!!!! how can you even let him do that to you... she is the most stupid person (or one of the most stupid at least) i have ever read about, she was a total doormat, and she liked it because she always went back for more. i mean, these books are supose to be about strong, intelligent and independent women, caracteristics that reina lacks.
well, i would say DO NOT READ!!!!! but everybody has their own likes, and there were people who liked this.
and again, i like some of this authors books, sometimes they have too much drama for my liking, but they are good anyway.
October 12, 2022
MEH….The book was not a standalone and I confess I didn’t read previous books. Yet I don’t feel tempted after reading this story. The narration jumps back and forth and I didn’t like it. Yet another tortured H with lame excuse why he behaved badly and another stupid heroine. First she’s pining after him over more than a decade and he treats her like crap, then he takes fourteen bullets to save her and she suddenly doesn’t want him anymore. I found the story more frustrating than entertaining. The criminal part didn’t pick my interest either.
December 4, 2023
⛔️ (in notes)
Want to read
April 5, 2024Prch Amz May 18, 2020
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews