Customer Reviews

The Secret Life of Ceecee Wilkes

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

One of my regrets about finishing a Diane Chamberlain book is that because I have read all of her other titles, I now now have to wait for the next one to be published. But as I wait patiently for the newest book, the anticipation builds since I almost always love her next book. And The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, Ms, Chamberlain's newest book is no exception. As I turned the last page, I realized that this title which is the 16th book I've read by this author, will always be among my favorite books by an author whose books I always enjoy.


CeeCee Wilkes is 16 and alone in the world when she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet. As she becomes more and more involved with him, he tells her about his sister who is in prison and asks her to help him to negotiate her release. Never thinking that this man's sister may have killed somebody not the way he described it, CeeCee goes along with a plan to kidnap the Governor's wife in an attempt to ransom this man's wife for his sister's release. But Tim hasn't told CeeCee the truth and playing on her innocence, she becomes involved thinking the kidnapping will last a few hours and ultimately an innocent woman will go free. Unfortunately, for all involved things go terribly wrong and CeeCee is forced to run to another state, change her name and assume a whole new identity with a forged birth certificate. CeeCee manages to graduate from college and becomes a therapist, marries and has a family all the while hiding her secret from everyone. And while the Governor's wife's body was never found, one day 28 years later during the construction of a development, the remains of the Governor's wife are found setting forth a not only a trial of the man who conned CeeCee at 16 but also a floodgate of emotions for CeeCee. And when Tim is found guilty ans awaits sentencing, CeeCee finds it necessary to reveal the truth which she has so carefully buried from everyone including herself all of these years.

I must admit that unlike some of Ms. Chamberlain's books, this title took me longer to get into. And I also had a harder time liking let alone loving the characters. But at some point, everything came together and I gulped down the pages to see how this title would end and if CeeCee could finally live with herself and her actions.

Ms. Chamberlain is among a handful of writers which include Alice Hoffman. Elizabeth Berg and Luanne Rice who write so beautifully of the love a mother has for a daugher and the love of a daughter for her mother or the love between sisters and even good friends.

I first began reading Diane Chamberlain many years ago whei I came upon her book, Keeper of the Light at the library. Since that time I have read all of her books, some more than once. Her books never fail to engage me with her plots and characters. And even today I list this title among my top 50 reads.If you've read this gifted author before I suggest you read this book quickly. And if you've never read her titles, be sure and include this title and the Kiss River trilogy which begins with Keeper of the Light on your to be read list.

Now I am sitting patiently waiting for the next Diane Chamberlain book to be published and already I am anticipating another great read.

What a great read! I really enjoyed this mystery about a woman who risks everything to finally do the right thing.

The story takes the reader back to 1977 and unfolds over a span of 20 years, but starts when Corinne sees her mother, Eve, on television confessing to intimate knowledge about a long ago kidnapping and disappearance of a pregnant woman named Genevieve Russell. Construction crews have unearthed Genevieve's remains and have arrested and charged a man with her murder.

CeeCee Wilkes is 16-years-old when she is seduced by an handsome older man, Tim Gleason, and is manipulated into helping him and his brother with the crime. Left to guard the prisoner at a remote cabin in the woods, events transpire that force CeeCee on the run with the newborn infant in tow. Unable to bring herself to leave the little girl with her father, CeeCee makes a decision to raise the child as her own. Years pass. CeeCee, now known as Eve, has created a pleasant, comfortable life for herself and thinks she has moved far beyond those days in the forest -- so far that she has almost forgotten that they ever happened.

This is a wonderfully intimate portrayal of family relationships and the love a mother has for her daughter. I really liked the characters in this book -- flaws and all. (Also found it interesting that Eve had rheumatoid arthritis -- as does the author).

This is only the second novel I've read by Diana Chamberlain, and I can say that she has definitely become an author whose books I need to go back and find and read. Next up for me is Breaking the Silence.

I loved this story about secrets, lies, and courage. Highly recommended!

I have read all of Ms. Chamberlain's books and "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes" is one of her best. The story had me hooked from the first page and kept me enthralled to the very last word.

The story is told from the point of view of a frightened, naive sixteen-year old girl who is transformed, literally overnight, into a single mother with adult responsibilities. She spends the better part of thirty years looking over her shoulder and hiding a secret that will affect everyone with whom she comes in contact, especially her beloved daughter.

If you are fan of Diane Chamberlain this book is a must read.

This was my first read of Ms Chamberlain's. I'm an avid Jodi Picoult fan and heard Diane was right along her lines. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I devoured this book and would strongly recommond it to Picoult fans. I've read some reviews of her other novels and am anxiously awaiting my next pick. However - a couple of them are sequel/prequels to each other and try to avoid reading the reviews on them! I did so and was shocked to find that the reviewer gave away the ending of the first book!

A wonderful summer read. I could not put it down. I felt the pain of this girl's secret and doing the "right thing". Very well written. A good Book Club read.

This was the first book I have read by Diane Chamberlain, and it drove me to purchase at least 8 of her other novels.

I loved the plot in this book ('you can not escape your past'). It was full of twists and turns. Another plus was that it made me cry!

I highly recommend this book. Diane is now one of my very favorite authors.

OK...I love this book, I have never read a book so fast in my life. I wanted more and I surely received it. This is a great book of redemption and love. I highly recommend it to all to read.

Diane Chamberlain never ceases to amaze me with her books...she gets better and better. I did not think that her stories could improve...after all Annie is one of my favorite characters (you'll have to read the Keeper of the Light to discover her) but the characters in Cee Cee are magnificent...this one is one to purchase, reread, and keep..

As others have said, this was a book that just couldn't be put down.I ignored housework, taxes and even sleep. It was an exciting page turner of the best caliber. Diane Chamberlain just gets better and better. One can tell she still has "social worker" in her blood as it evident by some of the characters, their careers and all the social aspects of their relationships. And I love that in her stories. There's warmth,rich characters, excitement, mystery, surprise and every element of a fantastic novel.This is the best and Diane is on her way to become one of the greatest authors of our time. Keep them coming and I'll be reading them all.

I have such a hard time finding great books. In this I found one! I could not put it down! Even when I was doing something else all I could think about is what will happen next. This author just has a talent for keeping you in. This is the first book of hers that I have read and I plan to read plenty more.