The Secret Keeping [Paperback]

Francine Saint Marie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2006

A LAMBDA Notable Book, Goldie Award finalist for best dramatic fiction, semi-finalist for the Independent Publishers Award, and an IPPY Award Bronze medalist. First Edition by Spinsters Ink; Second Edition by BookSurge/Amazon; Discount Edition by Fair Trade Productions and BD Books (ASIN 1438206313).

SYNOPSIS: Dr. Helaine Kristenson is the leading authority in the field of psychosexual relations and the best-selling author of the how-to bible, Keeping Mr. Right. Professionally, the esteemed doctor deals with secrets of the heart everyday. Privately, she even has a few of her own to keep her busy. What's so Top Secret? Her seven-year relationship with notorious supermodel, Sharon Chambers, a once very hot union that, of late, leaves much to be desired.

Wandering unwittingly into the middle of their tangled web is disillusioned investment strategist, Lydia Beaumont, a sleeping beauty who's just about to wake up.

Add a dozen lawyers to the resulting fray, a handful of corporate executives, and a gaggle of overzealous reporters and you've got one highly public love triangle. And the more private a woman is, the more exposed she becomes...

The Secret Keeping, the acclaimed debut novel by Francine Saint Marie. (Mother was wrong, money can indeed buy you love--if it's invested wisely!)

Editorial Reviews

Review

From Books To Watch Out For:

"I find the age-old bookseller question 'what section do I file this book in' rearing its head as I write this review. Is it a romance? Is it fiction? Is it a mystery? The Secret Keeping by Francine Saint Marie does not strictly follow the formula for any particular genre, though there is the girl-wants-girl tension and some high-profile intrigue thrown in for additional spice. But the first part of the book is so quietly elegant and lovely, I placed the review here in the fiction section.

As much as I wanted to discover the secrets in 'Part One: The Waiter,' I also didn't want the suspense to end...the pace of this section is slow but not at all in a tedious way, nor in a manipulative way. It's understated, deliberate, sensual, and compels the reader to continue...so good, it's worth picking up The Secret Keeping." --Books To Watch Out For (Volume 3 - Number 8 edition)

From Just About Write Magazine:

"Lesbian literature should become more sophisticated and offer depth in addition to the girl-gets-girl formula. The Secret Keeping meets those criteria." --Just About Write Magazine (April 2007 Issue)

From the Publisher

Note that the Discount Edition of The Secret Keeping (black cover with gold medallion - ISBN 1438206313), is printed in ten point font as opposed to the industry standard eleven. This was done to allow for a more compact and affordable paperback version that would still be highly readable. The content of the Discount Edition is the same, however, as in the earlier editions, and is complete and unabridged.

Published by Fair Trade Productions and BD Books

Product Details

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Spinsters Ink Books; 1 edition (September 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188352377X
• ISBN-13: 978-1883523770
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,845,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Published in 2006 by the renowned womens press Spinsters Ink, Francine Saint Marie's debut novel "The Secret Keeping" was a LAMBDA Notable Book, a Goldie Award finalist, a semi-finalist for the Independent Publishers Award and an IPPY Bronze medalist. Her popular three-novel series "The Secret Trilogy" containing her acclaimed debut was nominated for the prestigious Ferro/Grumley literary prize in fiction. She is also the recent recipient of the Green Book Award which honors works of literature that bring greater public awareness of issues concerning the environment. A writer and artist living in New York, Saint Marie's new novel "Persuasion" is now available in paperback and EXCLUSIVELY in Amazon's Kindle store. *Find unlimited e-ditions of all other Saint Marie titles here and wherever else eBooks are sold. Contact: FifthColumnPress[at]gmail.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Loved this Book!, November 30, 2006

By 

Fiction_Fan (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Keeping (Paperback)

Witty, sexy, and well written, this novel is easily worth the investment of time and money. It was... dare I say... **smart.** And who doesn't love that? The crisp dialogue and evocative descriptive passages drew this reader in. Just be sure to start reading when you have plenty of free time because you won't want to put it down. Best of all, in a world of dull lesbian romance clones, this book was truly unique and the author displayed a voice that was all her own. I'm eagerly anticipating future works from Francine Saint Marie!

What wasn't so great? Not a lot. But here goes... The cover does this book a great injustice. It's so dark and dreary while the novel itself is anything but gloomy. Combine that with the book's ominous title and a book buyer is likely to get a very wrong impression. Ignore these things when purchasing.

The very start of the story moved a tad slow for my tastes. When it picks up steam, it REALLY moves. But a tiny bit of patience is required to get you there.

Finally, the characters have an odd habit of referring to each other by their first and last names. OFTEN. Hearing Lydia Beaumont a million times, instead of just Lydia, got old fast.

These quirks, however,are easily overlooked in the face of solid entertainment.

Overall - a great time!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars T-N-T, February 21, 2007

By 

Donna Quintana - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Keeping (Paperback)

A friend of mine who is a very picky reader went crazy over this book and insisted that I read her copy. I'm glad I did. The first part seems like a bunch of random musings about Lydia and Helaine, two women who don't even know each other. Then their paths begin to converge and the seemingly unrelated pieces start to make sense.

Before I realized it, I was lulled into an intricate, fast-moving plot. Once the tension starts to build it continues to escalate until the very end. The descriptions of what the women are going through as the story unfolds are made more meaningful and are intensely felt because of the author's skill at defining their mental and emotional makeup at the beginning of the book. As I was flying through the last several pages, my muscles were actually tense. It's quite a reading experience. I returned my friend's book to her, but I've already ordered my own copy. I plan to read it again in a year or two.

Another reader mentioned that the cover doesn't relate very well to the story, and I want to second that. I don't see any connection at all between the cover and the book. In fact, I was put off by the cover and almost didn't read the book because of it. So if there is another printing, a different cover would be beneficial. Meanwhile, remember that "you can't tell a book by its cover."

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive Debut Author, February 17, 2007

By 

Cassie Coleman - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Secret Keeping (Paperback)

The back cover calls this a "high stakes girl-gets-girl romance." That's an understatement, to say the least. Midway through the book you can see that what appears at first to be a slow start is actually a masterful job of character development. The author skillfully "peels the onion" to show the complexities of the protagonists. Then when things really start moving, you are totally invested in the outcome.

As the plot progresses through increasingly complicated twists and turns, the pace continuously increases. By about three quarters through I had reached the point where every few pages I would think, "I can't believe this is happening," then assimilate the latest turn of events, then read another few pages and do it all over again. Wow.

Although I don't usually go so nuts over an author (click on "see all my reviews" if you think I'm kidding), I honestly believe this one has the writing skills of a seasoned pro. I'm surprised that this is her first published book, and I eagerly await the next one.