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The Secrets We Keep

Rick R. Reed (Goodreads Author)

3.86 · Rating details · 85 ratings · 54 reviews

Jasper Warren is a happy-go-lucky young man in spite of the tragedy that’s marred his life. He’s on a road to nowhere with his roommate, Lacy, whom he adores, and a dead-end retail job in Chicago.

And then everything changes in a single night. Though Jasper doesn’t know it, his road is going somewhere after all. This time when tragedy strikes, it brings with it Lacy’s older ...more

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ebook, 2nd edition

Published July 6th 2020 by NineStar Press (first published September 17th 2019)

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· 85 ratings · 54 reviews

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Sep 22, 2019 Sheri rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: angst-fest, amazing-yet-tragic, love-knows-no-age

It’s no secret that I adore Rick Reed. His books are always full of life and adventures. I’ve noticed the romance seems to be lighter with his most of his recent stories and this one fared on the medium side. However, he didn’t pull his punches with the angst or emotional whirlwind. I was a sobbing mess more than once and can’t complain when a book captures me to the point of spellbinding tears. If you’ve read and enjoyed The Perils of Intimacy by Reed I believe you will feel the same here. Ther It’s no secret that I adore Rick Reed. His books are always full of life and adventures. I’ve noticed the romance seems to be lighter with his most of his recent stories and this one fared on the medium side. However, he didn’t pull his punches with the angst or emotional whirlwind. I was a sobbing mess more than once and can’t complain when a book captures me to the point of spellbinding tears. If you’ve read and enjoyed The Perils of Intimacy by Reed I believe you will feel the same here. There are vast differences but at the same time strong similarities. Like a book cousin, they reminded me of each other while still maintaining their individual uniqueness. This story is real…and raw…and remarkably well done.

What's to like: Second chance stories always grab my attention. Although this particular case isn’t a second chance relationship, I felt it was a second chance at life. Jasper has been going through the motions, content to cruise along with his current status. His job is okay, dating (or hooking up) is okay, and he feels…okay. His roommate and bestie bring him comfort and security. He loves their little bubble with just the two of them. But then…it pops. When everything shatters around him he’s forced to take a closer look at his life. In turn, he must face his past and his uncertain future. Dark hidden secrets can slowly wreak havoc over time and it seems he’s not the only one hiding them.

What's to love: I loved the unexpected connection between Jasper and Rob. I loved the chemistry and fire that was quick to burn. Needless to say, I didn’t love what brought them together but I did love how they rose from the ashes together. I loved how much stronger they became when they embraced the truth. I loved how relationships became richer once forgiveness was finally given. I loved how Rick brought me tears and then joy. I always say, if you’re going to break me, please put me back together before you leave! And he did. I loved that love was blind to the number of birthday’s that separated them. I loved that love was blind to bank account numbers. I loved that they found love in the midst of darkness. This very much felt like a nod to, ‘life is short and if you have a chance at happiness, grab it with both hands and don’t let go.’ It also felt like…the beginning. I would have liked to see where they were going but found myself comfortable with knowing where they were headed.

Beware of: Triggers would include loss of a loved one…from losing their own personal battle with life. As well as, age is only a number and our wealth does not define us. The romance isn’t in abundance but that doesn’t diminish it’s importance here.

This book is for: Reed fans will most definitely want to take notice of this one, that is if they haven’t already. Or anyone looking for a strong dose of angst followed by the sweet taste of love.

Book UNfunk ...more

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Sep 03, 2019 Christelle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, little-smex, mm-age-gap, mm-comfort-read

“Real men, true love” : that’s the promise of Rick R.Reed and he delivers : I usually enjoy his books, relationship-oriented with a good dose of introspection and a sexy journey to happiness. It works for me. And to be noted : all the books I picked up so far from this author are with age-gap, which I enjoy.

Jasper and Rob meets in Chicago during the funeral of Lacy, Jasper’s roommate and friend. Both feel the need to leave the ceremony and end up in a bar, Jasper discovering that Rob is “Lacy’s ...more

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Sep 01, 2019 Cadiva rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is another unusual romance from Rick R Reed in which the protagonists feel like they're people he knows whose lives have been played out in front of him.

It's a strange twist between an angsty May to December romance and a sort of whimsical almost paranormal ghost like tale of two lives which have known tragedy.

Be aware that this book also has heavy subject matter and, imho anyways, really should have a trigger warning.

As the story begins, I think it's clear what direction the path of one c ...more

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Oct 03, 2019 True Loveislovereview rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, lgbtq

Jasper and Rob
An emotional story, awfully realistic at times, grief is a big word here. Jasper his best friend Lacy committed suicide and at the time of the funeral he meets Rob her uncle. Together they sneak away and they bond. They both are connected through Lacy.
Rob is a wealthy man and invites Jasper over to California. Something unexpected is revealed and In no time Jasper goes back home. When Rob follows Jasper, Jasper wants to show Rob the Lacy he knew.
Throughout this story we see them st ...more

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Sep 24, 2019 Joyfully Jay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: jovan

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

Since the story is mostly in Jasper’s POV, his character has the most development. I wasn’t sure I was going to like him much given how disparaging his thoughts are about his best friend in the beginning and that he admits he drags her to gay bars with him for self-validation. Moreover, he knows a lot of their outings/friendship dynamics are out of whack and one way. But over the course of the story and in getting to know Rob, he brings Lacy to life for her estra ...more

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Oct 09, 2019 Barb ~rede-2-read~ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, favorites, age-gap, older-mc-over-40, hurt-comfort, read-2019

Rick Reed delivers a powerful love story wrapped in a multitude of emotions. Jasper Warren, the principal character, is a young gay man living in Chicago with his bestie, Lacy. She’s perfectly happy tagging along as his wingman when he hits the nightlife Chicago offers. But when tragedy strikes, Jasper blames himself for not realizing how much Lacy really loved him. He’s spent most of his life alone, ever since his mother and younger sister were murdered and his father grew so remote, quiet, and Rick Reed delivers a powerful love story wrapped in a multitude of emotions. Jasper Warren, the principal character, is a young gay man living in Chicago with his bestie, Lacy. She’s perfectly happy tagging along as his wingman when he hits the nightlife Chicago offers. But when tragedy strikes, Jasper blames himself for not realizing how much Lacy really loved him. He’s spent most of his life alone, ever since his mother and younger sister were murdered and his father grew so remote, quiet, and introspective that he never interacted with Jasper, the only family he had left. He grew up in the same house as his dad but without the love and support one would expect from family. And, until she’s gone, Jasper never realizes she had become the family of his heart.

When Lacy’s uncle Rob befriends Jasper, the two bond over their losses. And, actually, Jasper wouldn’t mind more than friendship from the handsome, older silver fox. Those who enjoy family drama will love this story as there is both past and current familial drama as well as drama related to family of choice. The story primarily focuses on relationships: parents and children, friends and lovers, and, more subtly, a focus on the words and actions we use to hurt others, whether purposely or accidentally. In fact, sometimes, it’s not the action, but the failure to act, that causes the most harm.

Within the story, Rob, who happens to be a well-known author, cites the differences between fiction and real life and notes that “in real life, we need to think about using few words and making the ones we do use more meaningful.” So very true! Missed opportunities, lingering misunderstandings, and the complexity of our very human day-to-day existence can all cause far-reaching relationship problems. I loved the way the author wove these experiences into the story so readers could draw their own conclusions and see the life lessons as simply human experiences, for better or worse.

Over and above the outstanding plot, the author’s love for Palm Springs comes through loud and clear, as does his familiarity with the Chicago area.

Jasper’s fierce independent streak carries throughout the story, and there is a potentially happy future for him and Rob on the horizon, but he has also learned to value his self-confidence and his newfound positive relationship with his dad as the story closes.

I highly recommend this to lovers of strong characters and those who enjoy age gap, hurt-comfort, redemption, and independence.

A copy of the ARC was provided through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for review. ...more

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Sep 14, 2019 Kirstin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5 Stars

I really, really enjoyed reading this. It was heavy on the angst, low on romance, though there was enough that I was smitten with both MC's.

I really enjoyed the contrasts that were woven throughout the story. One MC was poor and always had been. The other always well off. One was twenty-five, the other fifty. One had a huge, life changing secret and the other hated him for it.

The story took place over a large span of months, though many were written off page, where the MC's texted and e ...more

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Sep 01, 2019 Charlotte rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, m-m-romance

More than this is a story about two men having a relationship, it felt to me as though it was about families and the mistakes we make when we love people... and when they hurt us. Both the main characters in this book have tumultuous histories with their families, things they don't want to discuss, and at the same time, they are almost immediately drawn to one another.

There are some intense and authentic feelings about the suicide of a character in this book. No doubt it will be difficult for so ...more

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Sep 25, 2019 Jovan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A Joyfully Jay review

4.25

Jasper is a regular guy who knows what his life will be—he’ll continue working “dead-end” jobs that keep him living paycheck to paycheck, meet another struggling, regular Joe like himself, and settle down and adopt a dog when his looks no longer pull at the bars and he no longer has his trusty best friend and wingwoman, Lacy, at his side to boost his ego and keep him company.

Yet, Jasper’s world comes crashing down when Lacy commits suicide and he begins to question himse A Joyfully Jay review

4.25

Jasper is a regular guy who knows what his life will be—he’ll continue working “dead-end” jobs that keep him living paycheck to paycheck, meet another struggling, regular Joe like himself, and settle down and adopt a dog when his looks no longer pull at the bars and he no longer has his trusty best friend and wingwoman, Lacy, at his side to boost his ego and keep him company.

Yet, Jasper’s world comes crashing down when Lacy commits suicide and he begins to question himself and their friendship. When he meets Lacy’s uncle, Rob, at her funeral, Jasper is caught off guard by the unexpected and instant connection he has to the much older man, especially given the timing and the fact that he has never been attracted to older men. Yet as they share drinks, memories, and comfort, Jasper takes Rob up on his offer to keep in touch and the two form a friendship via email. However, the strain of beginning a relationship in the midst of grief, insecurity, and long distance is compounded when the reason for Lacy’s estrangement from her family and Rob’s role in it is brought to light.

I picked "The Secrets We Keep" because I wanted to read a book with an older lead character, and while I am a bit disappointed that Rob’s POV is not more prominent, I do like several aspects of his character. For example, although Rob is a very successful author, at fifty years old he has never been in love, and thus, is as unprepared as Jasper for that kind of emotion. He also displays some of the same traits of self-centeredness in his dealings with Lacy that Jasper does, illustrating that no matter how put together you seem or how old you get, you can still grow and be better. Additionally, while Jasper feels insecurity over Rob’s success, as well as the fact that Rob comes from a wealthy family (particularly compared to Jasper’s poor/middle class upbringing), Rob is as insecure as Jasper; he’s insecure about his age and whether Jasper is actually interested in him at all.

Since the story is mostly in Jasper’s POV, his character has the most development. I wasn’t sure I was going to like him much given how disparaging his thoughts are about his best friend in the beginning and that he admits he drags her to gay bars with him for self-validation. Moreover, he knows a lot of their outings/friendship dynamics are out of whack and one way. But over the course of the story and in getting to know Rob, he brings Lacy to life for her estranged uncle (and the reader) through his remembrance of their friendship and special places. Seeing Jasper deal with Lacy’s death, his shortcomings, and other painful relationships/losses, and finally owning up to the fact that his is not the only valid pain in his circle of loved ones is gratifying.

Normally, I would try to avoid saying what happened to Lacy in my review, but what I find most compelling about the book is not Jasper and Rob’s tentative romance, but what brought them together in the first place, and frankly the narrative’s underlying discussion of suicide—how or if people can help loved one’s struggling with suicidal ideation; how, can, or what to do if you recognize the signs of depression; how do you deal with the inevitable guilt whether you could help or not, etc.—took on a life of its own. All the questions the narrative poses through Jasper’s struggle when facing his own selfishness and sometimes just normal self-centeredness, for me, make Lacy more alive than she was for the few pages she appeared at the beginning of the story (especially with the slight paranormal element involved) and much more interesting than the connection between Jasper and Rob.

The blurb mentions the “bloom of new romance,” and this is a very apt description. Their relationship is at best budding, and it is doing so in the midst of heavy circumstances and then almost overwhelmed by a Noah-sized flood of secret shame. Given the circumstances and Jasper’s insecurities about their wealth disparities, it is little wonder that I couldn’t feel much chemistry between them, and it was usually only somewhat bolstered by one of the few, well-timed Rob POV scenes.

"The Secrets We Keep" isn’t your typical romance, but the story is honest and compelling in different ways. The MCs are fallible and human. They are two people getting to know each other in the midst of their shared grief, guilt, and belief they failed someone they loved. They don’t fall instantly in love or lust. I also like that Jasper and Rob end on a very realistic HFN. Not only are they still getting to know one another, but they are still grieving, still dealing with the fallout of losing Lacy in such a tragic way, and still learning new things about themselves.

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Aug 27, 2019 LeeAnn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Secrets can be wonderful things. Sometimes they are devastating , depending on how they are revealed.
Both Jasper and Rob have secrets from their pasts. Both tragic and life changing.
The author puts the reader on a rollercoaster of many emotions and I enjoyed the ride.
The way the author has set their story up, how they meet, the reason they meet and what transpires between them was so well written.
We are taken on a journey where we are introduced to two amazing men, we get to see what their liv ...more

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Aug 30, 2019 Amy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Losing someone you love is one of the hardest things we will deal with in life. Jasper has had a lot of loss in his life, his Dad may still be alive but he barely exist. Living with Lacy in a small apartment in Chicago Jasper was living life. But when things go bad, suddenly and without warning, his world spins. Lacy’s uncle comes and turns Jasper’s world upside down again.

Rob and Jasper are many years apart in age but both have secrets they keep, both have unimaginable loss, can they help heal ...more

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Nov 25, 2020 Cee Brown rated it really liked it · review of another edition

•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨)
✮ (¸.•´Keeping secrets.

This seemed to be a journey through Lacy's eyes to acclimate Rob to her and for Jazz to relive the good old days while both men learned about each other. Not as angsty as some Andrew Grey stories can get, but this one had heart and words that tugged at the heart. Enough to shed a tear or two.

Jazz had life ripped from him too many times. And now the pain and suffering was starting all over again when he missed the most important thing. No one knew more than him ...more

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Jul 09, 2020 Shirley rated it really liked it

Hovering between a 3.5 and a 4....

I have to admit that I got a little bit aggravated with both of Jasper and Rob at times throughout The Secrets We Keep. Jasper because he was clueless when it came to Lacy and her feelings, but hind sight is 20/20, so I couldn't be too hard on him. And Rob...well, let's just say he could have handled things a lot better than he did. Unfortunately, I can't explain what bothered me so much about Rob without giving away a huge spoiler... *sigh*

I liked the story and ...more

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Sep 25, 2019 Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, m-m

The Secrets We Keep is a story that deals with the aftermath of suicide, with the addition of a May-to-December couple of main characters. This is NOT a light read. It is somber and full of reflection.

That side of the story is really well written. The emotions that pour off each page with make you stop and think. However, for me, I found it overshadowed the romance side of things. I didn't really feel a connection between our main two. There was no build up to them individually, rather just a ca ...more

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Jul 06, 2020 Ali rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed

Well written but too dreary and I don't feel like the story was complete. ...more

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Sep 08, 2019 Anabela.M. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Lacy's death brings Jasper and Robert into each other's lives. They meet at the funeral service and attraction simmers,but it's definitely not the right time,nor are they in the right state of mind,to act on it. They keep in touch,over the months, through email and text messages, and slowly a deeper connection forms between them. But there are secrets,the kind that could ruin what they managed to built.

The Secrets We Keep is so much more than a romance between young Jasper and Robert, wealthy an ...more

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Sep 08, 2019 Elle Kay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I didn’t have any pre-conceived notions for this book, particularly since it is a new-to-me author. The first four chapters sucked me in quickly and I enjoyed the characters, particularly the way Jasper was dealing with some dark stuff. The character descriptions were particularly good; I especially enjoyed Lacy — I could so easily picture her in my mind’s eye. For some reason, the next couple chapters sort of stalled out for me and the story lost its captivation. However, that appears to be a s ...more

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Sep 10, 2019 Edga rated it liked it · review of another edition

As one would expect from this author, this book is extremely well written, however, I've got to say that this one left me feelng a little uncomfortable. I think angsty stories work best where the misery and despair is balanced with happier times. Without that, it makes for a bleak reading experience.

I found the melodrama ott and the repetition of tears, sadness and all around brokenness was over-used to the point where it lost its potency, and instead of making me feel emotional, it did leave m ...more

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Sep 12, 2019 Cheryl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thank you for the ARC read,I voluntarily give this book an honest review. Jasper's life was never easy. Growing up with little to no communication with with father after the death of his mother and sister. He had one friend Lacy, that was until tragedy strikes his life again.

Rob wasn't expecting to meet the charming young man that befriended his niece. Never really dreaming that someone would love him for him. Always an outsider really just looking in until a tragic event brings them together. G ...more

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Sep 21, 2019 Cathy Brockman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, favorite-authors, favorites, romance, may-december

As always Rick R Reed has given us a beautifully written story with tons of feels. It is heart-wrenching in places and heartwarming in others. I loved Jasper. How could you not? He was a sweet young man. Average. Happy with his meager life, simple apartment and best friend and roommate. Until he finds her dead in her room. He meets her rich uncle at her funeral and finds out he didn’t know her at all.
Rob feels an attraction to Jasper but he is half his age, sweet and sexy. What would he want wi ...more

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Jul 07, 2020 Veronica of V's Reads rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary, male-male, some-heat, grief-loss, adult

Jasper and Lacy are the best of friends living in a vintage courtyard one bedroom apartment in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. They both work retail jobs, and they adore one another, but Jasper is openly gay, and Lacy is his subtlely enamored wingwoman. Jasper and Lacy make up each other’s “chosen family” since Jasper’s emotionally-closed father hardly calls to talk; his pregnant mother and younger sister were murdered when Jasper was a young child and his father never crawled past his Jasper and Lacy are the best of friends living in a vintage courtyard one bedroom apartment in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. They both work retail jobs, and they adore one another, but Jasper is openly gay, and Lacy is his subtlely enamored wingwoman. Jasper and Lacy make up each other’s “chosen family” since Jasper’s emotionally-closed father hardly calls to talk; his pregnant mother and younger sister were murdered when Jasper was a young child and his father never crawled past his grief. Lacy says her family are a bunch of liars and she wants nothing to do with them, so they support one another and have done so for the past few years as roomies and friends. Jasper knows Lacy wants a sexual relationship with him, but its beyond his ability, and he’s comfortable being her best friend anyway.

They are out for drinks one night and Jasper hangs out later than usual, hoping to find a sexy man for the night, but he gives up and goes home alone, where Lacy convinces him to cuddle with her following a bad dream. Jasper awakes in his own bed the next morning, unsure how he got there and unsettled by the stillness of the apartment. Lacy should have been up long ago, and his morbid curiosity leads him to find Lacy in her bed, cold and past saving.

Jasper is wrecked. Lacy was his lifeline, and he’s unable to do more than visit the funeral home where her detested parents have the wake arranged. “Lacy” was her chosen name, and he doesn’t recognize the goth girl he knew in the brown-haired pink-dressed Heather who fills Lacy’s coffin. Jasper is intercepted by Lacy/Heather’s uncle, Rob, a 40ish silver fox who seems desperate to know something of Heather’s life over the past five years, since she’d broken off all contact with her family. Lacy’d urged Jasper to move on, and not wonder about the darkness of her family, and how they broke her spirit, but he’s willing to console Rob for a bit.

The secrets of Lacy/Heather’s family begin to unravel in ways that Jasper couldn’t have expected. Turns out Rob is a famous mystery/suspense author that Jasper has been a fan of for years–and Lacy never shared that secret. Rob convinces Jasper to correspond with him via text and email, to keep Lacy alive between the two of them, and Jasper is reticent, but determined to share the truth of his dearest friend. This tentative communication begins to build more of a bond between the two men, and Jasper is kind of shell shocked. He’s never sought out older men, or fancied himself a gold digger, yet he’s difinitely attracted to Rob who is nearly 20 years older, and wealthier than God. This inequality is unsettling and a big barrier for the growing intimacy that Jasper and Rob are developing. It’s not until Jasper finally accepts Rob’s request to come visit his Palm Springs mansion that Jasper learns the true nature of Rob’s place in Lacy’s life–the huge secret that cut Lacy’s ties to her family.

This story had a lot of spooky-ish moments that seemed like sinister foreshadowing, but turned out to be more introspective than at first glance. I didn’t really know what to expect about the tragedies Jasper has faced, and I was sad for his losses. He’s a decent guy, but not nearly as happy-go-lucky as the blurb indicates. Losing Lacy really exposes Jasper’s depression, and he’s not sure he’s worthy of love, in many ways. It obstructs his ability to build strong relationships, but he works through his grief, and his confusion about Rob–who has his own secrets to share and grief to survive.

The end is truly a happy one, however, with Rob and Jasper living honestly, and supporting one another emotionally. I liked how Jasper repaired his relationship with his father, and made the effort to connect with Rob, who really needs a loving partner. The harrowing moments didn’t result in further tragedy, but there were certainly enough breadcrumbs out there to keep me on edge for the next shoe to drop.

I liked the story and enjoyed watching the love that grew through patience, honesty and communication between Jasper and Rob. They each deserved a caring lover, and they helped each other grieve and move on from the pain that first united them. ...more

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Jul 04, 2020 AshPenny37 rated it liked it

Firstly, please take note of the trigger warnings. Given the main driver for Jasper and Rob's meeting, I wasn't expecting The Secrets We Keep to be an easy read. It wasn't, but the subject matter was written with sensitivity and handled pretty well, I thought.

I liked Rob as a character. He seemed to have genuine grief about having missed out on so much of Lacy's life, regrets about the way things panned out in his family history and real affection for Jasper, even questioning the age gap, etc. Firstly, please take note of the trigger warnings. Given the main driver for Jasper and Rob's meeting, I wasn't expecting The Secrets We Keep to be an easy read. It wasn't, but the subject matter was written with sensitivity and handled pretty well, I thought.

I liked Rob as a character. He seemed to have genuine grief about having missed out on so much of Lacy's life, regrets about the way things panned out in his family history and real affection for Jasper, even questioning the age gap, etc. Here's my problem, though: I didn't really like Jasper. I get that he's had trauma to deal with before the events that bring Rob into his life and there was evidence of his growth, especially with his relationship with his father, but I just couldn't warm to him. Maybe it's the mood I was in but I just kept getting a bit annoyed with him for having a chip on his shoulder about Rob's wealth/status and his should I/shouldn't I toing and froing over whether they should give the relationship a go or not, etc. I'm usually good with the age gap trope, but here I felt that Jasper's insecurities/immaturity got in the way. Or possibly it's a question of balance: the aspects of the book which deal with Lacy and this kind of loss are particularly well-written so they take centre stage throughout the story and that doesn't leave much room for the romance to grow on the page. Apart from the long distance emailing, there didn't seem to be much real intimacy between Rob and Jasper and the epilogue kind of didn't feel like the same characters to me.

This is the first Rick R Reed book I've read and, while I might not have connected with both MCs here, it's clear that this author is a wordsmith so I'd definitely try more of his work in the future. However, if The Secrets We Keep had been 'sold' to me as a piece of contemporary fiction dealing with the aftermath of suicide, I would have rated it a poignant 4 stars minimum, but as a romance it just didn't work for me so overall it's 2.5* rounded up.

An ARC was provided by GRR in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jul 05, 2020 Linda rated it really liked it

😞Tragedy old and new for Jasper to negotiate: compelling🚇

4-4.5🌟stars👬
This was a compelling story which brings together two men deeply affected by a young woman's death by overdose. It's driven by emotion, not romance, though there is that and some heat too.

Jasper is a survivor and a great character. Originally a small-town boy from a cash-strapped, working class family, he's living a frugal existence in Chicago and lost alot in his 25 years so he's cautious about building a continuing connectio ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 Shweta rated it really liked it

Shelves: angsty-read, hurt-comfort, loss, mm-romance, giveaways-free-reads-arcs-dbml, grief, second-chance, age-gap, realistic

A tale of love, grief, lost chances and learning to accept love beyond all human flaws and the ugly secrets that bear down our souls.

Going in, I have to say this isn't your typical romance and though it's told from Jasper's POV and revolves around his present day happenings, the heroes of the story are the women who have played a major part in his life- his mom, Louise and Lacy.

In the aftermath of his roommate Lacy's death, Jasper and and Rob bond together, sharing their grief and celebrating t ...more

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Jul 11, 2020 Linda Reads rated it it was amazing

Sad but uplifting M/M romance with hints of a compassionate ghost or two…?
My favorite M/M subgenre is the older man falls for the younger man. The book opens with a life-altering event for Rob forcing him to make a significant decision. Then we back-track to what brought him to that moment in time. We meet sweet and crazy, in a good way, roommates: Jasper and Lacy. Jasper is gay and on the prowl for his next conquest. Lacy is the true-blue friend who is his wing-woman, never thinking of herself ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 Ida Umphers rated it it was amazing

This is no lighthearted romance. Jasper's life at the beginning of the book is positively grim. You can feel how the years are all stretching before him in a grey cloud. Then, the awful event that starts the plot rolling happens and your heart breaks for him. That leads to the meeting with Rob, however, and we begin to see how the age gap/income gap tropes are being set up. Nothing ever feels stale here, the tropes set us up, but Jasper and Rob are two unique and compelling men. You want to foll ...more

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Jul 15, 2020 Roberta Blablanski rated it really liked it

Shelves: suspense-thriller, mm, arc-for-review, age-gap

What an intense and emotional story. The prologue kicks off with the intensity, and I was left reeling and wondering what the heck I was in for. (In a good way.)

There's a lot of death in The Secrets We Keep, and more than half are beyond tragic, so be forewarned. That was something else I wasn't expecting.

One tragedy brings Jasper and Rob together, and the other inadvertently. I wanted to know more about Lacy and her past, her upbringing. I also wanted to know more about Rob and his past.

Overall ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 Amber Antus rated it really liked it

Jasper and Rob are a great couple. I love the very slow burn of this book and how they take the time to get to know each other before they even share a kiss. I love that Lacy is what brings them together and that they don't let their grief get in the way of finding happiness. The character development is wonderful and I love how detailed the book is. The repetition of a conversation word for word multiple times throughout was a little off putting as well as the use of the "L" instead of "El"(but ...more

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Jul 29, 2020 Danny Santana rated it really liked it

It is the first LGBT book that I read and I really liked it.
The pace is very good, you can't stop reading and you are anxious to know more about the story.
It has several teachings, it makes you think a lot about life, what it really matters.
The characters are very real I would say, it's like you've been with a friend.
The story is about Jasper who suffered a lot in life and ends up losing his best friend Lucy, and so he meets Rob, her uncle. The attraction is instantly and they hang together to c ...more

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Jul 03, 2020 Coline Peterson rated it really liked it

This is a new Author for me, my first but definitely not my last, a well written fast reading drama that just seems to draws you in as you experiance emotional rollercoaster as it unfolds but then isn't that what life really is. To experience it we have to go through it all, but for some tragedy just seems to find them. When Jasper loses his best friend Lacy he finds that one special person in her " Uncle"Rob and maybe together they can find a way to learn from the past to find their own future ...more

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The Backlot Gay B...: The Secrets we Keep, by Rick R. Reed	1	7	Feb 19, 2020 07:44AM

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About Rick R. Reed

Rick R. Reed

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Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet an ...more