Review: SECRET Revealed

Finally! The last book in L. Marie Adeline's S.E.C.R.E.T. trilogy is out! If you're like me, you've been anxiously awaiting the release of SECRET Revealed. I actually had to wait almost a whole month to read the book after receiving it because I was going on vacation and this is not the type of book you explain to your boyfriend's aunt (70something) and uncle (90) when you're staying at their house. Just...no. ;) So, I got back from vacay and dove right in. Damn. Adeline has written one hell of a conclusion to this series!

Here's the synopsis:

The only thing that Cassie Robichaud has ever really wanted is Will Foret, the love of her life. But when Will discovers that Cassie is part of S.E.C.R.E.T., an underground group devoted to helping women experience their deepest sexual fantasies, Will breaks it off. Heartbroken, Cassie dries her tears and devotes herself to helping the latest S.E.C.R.E.T. recruit, Solange Faraday. Cassie also reignites her relationship with sexy bad-boy Jesse, even if he can never love her as deeply as Will did.
Meanwhile, beautiful, brilliant Solange, a local news anchor and divorced mom, has a great career but a wilting love life. She rekindles long-lost passions, going deeper and hotter than any other S.E.C.R.E.T. candidate before her. Will she find what her heart most desires? And when Will realizes he's made a tragic mistake, will Cassie be able to forgive him? In the end, as both women blossom as sexual beings, they also discover that ecstasy and true love are closer than they ever imagined.

I was really looking forward to this one because I needed to know how it ended. Adeline ended both S.E.C.R.E.T. and S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared with major cliffhangers (links lead to my reviews) and that upped the need for a final conclusion. At the end of the previous two books the reader was left wondering if Cassie and Will would ever be able to get together and there was also something else major happening at the end of each book. So, it's no wonder, with those major issues, that I (and every other reader) was looking forward to a nice conclusion.

I'm not a fan of prologues. I find a lot of them give too much away and just don't benefit the overall story. The prologue in this one, though? Perfection. It gave a little bit of insight into what had happened with Will and Cassie (and, boy oh boy, was it hot) as well as reminding the reader what had happened at the end of S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared.

I knew going into this book that I was likely going to be disappointed but happy. Sounds weird, right? I knew Cassie needed to end up with Will. They were just meant to be. But that meant that she didn't get Jesse. And I am Team Jesse. Don't get me wrong, I like Will. I just happen to like Jesse more. I'm also not entirely sure I loved how Jesse's storyline ended. I get it, I guess, but it felt kind of odd to me. But, all that being said, I'm really happy with how Adeline decided to wrap up Cassie's story.

I hope that my reviews have let you all know that these books are so much more than their incredibly sexy scenes. Of course, that doesn't mean those erotic scenes are to be passed over. Oh, no. Adeline knows how to write these scenes to make them feel realistic and that, I think, makes them even hotter than some other erotic novels you may have read.

Finally, I have to say, probably again, that I adore L. Marie Adeline (well, technically Lisa Gabriele, as Adeline is a pseudonym). I really liked reading her S.E.C.R.E.T. series and I'm so happy with the way she wrapped everything up in S.E.C.R.E.T. Revealed. I think I love these books so much because there's an actual story behind the erotica. Cassie and the other women are relatable. They're real women who make mistakes along the way and learn from those mistakes. If you want a really good and enjoyable new series to read and you still haven't read these ones, do it. Bonus: you won't have to deal with the crazy cliffhangers like I did and you can read all three back to back to back!

Happy reading :)

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Random House of Canada, in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared

I've been waiting to get my hands on a copy of S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared by L. Marie Adeline (aka Lisa Gabriele) ever since I read the last page of the first book in the series, S.E.C.R.E.T. Adeline left us with a hell of a cliffhanger - one that a lot of readers hated. I enjoyed the first book (you can read my review here) but I liked this second book so much more.

Here's the synopsis:

Still wounded from a recent heartbreak, Cassie Robichaud throws herself into service with S.E.C.R.E.T., the mysterious organization that changed her life last year by bringing her deepest sexual fantasies to life, one step at a time. Now, it’s Cassie’s turn to guide the group’s newest candidate, Dauphine Mason, recruiting men to execute a new set of fantasies. While it gets Cassie’s mind off Will, the man she truly loves, it also gives her the chance to help watch S.E.C.R.E.T. work its magic on someone new.
At thirty-one, Dauphine is the proprietor of a New Orleans vintage clothing store—the kind of buttoned-up career woman who has no idea how attractive she really is. In order to reignite her sexual flame and reawaken her dormant heart, she must leave behind her bitter past.
As both Cassie and Dauphine navigate the rocky path between their hearts and their passions, they discover what they truly want in life and in love. SECRET Shared is a liberating, passionate and sexually charged sequel to one of the hottest new series in erotica.

I liked how Adeline wrote this book (apart from the prologue...I didn't like that. Then again, I'm not a fan of prologues in general). The chapters alternated perspectives - one chapter was Cassie, the next, Dauphine - and that worked for a few reasons. It allowed us a fresh perspective into the world of S.E.C.R.E.T. What does Dauphine think of these women and what kind of fantasies will she have? I think the two perspectives allowed us to see how far Cassie had come since the start of the her S.E.C.R.E.T. journey by comparing her to Dauphine and how she was doing. It also kept things a little more exciting because there was just plain more going on. Having two stories happening at the same time allowed us a wider view into S.E.C.R.E.T. Which leads me to my next point...

Seeing more of the inner workings of the organization was great and I think that added layer is part of what helped me enjoy this book more. We got to read about how the S.E.C.R.E.T. men are recruited and trained (and hoo boy, that training session was HOT) as well as how the organization is funded and legally run. 

I liked Cassie so much more in this book. Seeing her (continuing) growth was great and she was a really fun and interesting character to read about. She's still a little timid but she's much more alive than she was when we first met her. Dauphine was also a lot of fun. I loved that she owned a vintage clothing store and how her S.E.C.R.E.T. journey also helped her professionally. 

I loved reading SECRET Shared. L. Marie Adeline has once again succeeded in writing an intriguing story with erotic elements woven in. There's another doozy cliffhanger (why, Lisa, whyyyyy???) so I'm once again anxiously awaiting the next instalment in the series - SECRET Revealed - which is supposed to be released next year. If you're looking for a new erotic series to read - check this one out!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Random House of Canada, in exchange for an honest review.*