Bridget's Reviews > Public Secrets

This is an oldie but a goodie. I first read Public Secrets over 15 years ago and since then I continually pick it back up for a reread. I just finished rereading the story after a good 7 or 8 year break and I am so happy to say that it's still as compelling, intriguing, and delightful as it was the first time I read it.

This story in particular is a favorite of mine as it follow the story of not just the main character Emma, but an entire cast of characters that you love to love and love to hate. This story takes you through 30 years worth of character development and growth not to mention 30 years worth of history. The story starts in the 1960s and Nora paints a vivid picture of the time then. I wasn't alive at that time but her portrayal was so alive and real that I feel almost like I had lived it. The new wave of music, the British Invasion, sex, drugs, the changing shape of society and youth - it's all there. You grow up with Emma and at the same time you grow with her family. Learning to love them as she loves them, despair over them, root for them. They become your family too. For me, it's impossible not become invested in them. The other component I love about this story, is that Emma's love interest is introduced to you from the very beginning - when he's a pre-teen. You see how their relationship develops, the mistakes they make and in the end its beautiful when they finally come together. Nora tackles some heavy topics in this book too - sex, drugs, rape, AIDS, abuse, addiction, love, despair - and she does it with aplomb, grace, wit, and honesty. I feel that out of the entire Nora Robert's collection this book blows the other stand alone mystery/romance stories out of the water. By far the most complex and developed story line; fully engaging and relatable characters- Public Secrets has it all. I cannot recommend this book enough to others.