Review: Keeping Secrets by Kiru Taye
Keeping Secrets by Kiru Taye Published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform on August 7, 2014
Genres: African American, Contemporary, Erotica, Love & Romance, Romance
Pages: 292
Format: eBook
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Have you ever loved someone and didn’t even know it?
That’s the dilemma facing Felix Essien when he wakes from a coma to find he is married to the most beautiful and sensual woman he’s ever known. He cannot remember her or their wedding. He who had sworn never to get married or to give his heart to another. Yet he feels an intense bond with her that he intends to explore fully. Ebony can’t believe her good fortune when her paper husband wakes not remembering the temporary marriage arrangement with no intimacies he’d proposed but is now the adoring husband she’s always dreamt of. She plans to make the most of the passion blossoming between them. However would he still feel that way when he regains his memory and realises she’s been keeping secrets and their marriage is not what he thinks it is.
Keeping Secrets is the first installment in the Essien Trilogy by Kiru Taye. This is actually the first book I’m reading from this author. To be honest, I initially got this book because it was free on Amazon. #dontjudgeme
Keeping Secrets features the eldest Essien son, Felix, head of the Essien financial dynasty based in Lagos, and his wife Ebony.
This story follows the couple in the aftermath of Felix’s accident and subsequent coma. When Felix awakens from his coma, it is with memory loss as it pertains to his new wife. Did I mention that he got into this accident on his wedding night when he should have been with his wife? Yup. There’s definitely a lot of tension and hidden truths with this couple.
Felix had no recollection of his wife or what landed him in the hospital once he awoke. He is surprised, but happily attracted to Ebony. While he didn’t remember the specifics of their courtship, he knew a few things: he did not want to get married but was being goaded by his board of directors. He was given an ultimatum so to speak: they wanted the CEO to seem settled with little to no scandal. The only way to do this was to appear as a family man.
With the gaps in his memory, he looked to his wife to fill him in on the details. By doing so, we began a rollercoaster of half truths and unspoken angst. There was obvious attraction and love (especially from Ebony) on both sides. Felix realized that he was not the best husband and that he probably did something to hurt Ebony. Once released from the hospital, he went in to overdrive and became the sweet and attentive man that Ebony had longer for. In the aftermath of Felix’s accident, this couple grew closer However, there were a few omissions on Ebony’s part about the past and when the truth is revealed, will Felix be able to overlook that and hold on to the love he never knew he so badly needed. Or will pride and anger get in the way?
Keeping Secrets is a short and easy read about love, second chances, and well, keeping secrets (no pun intended). Admittedly, I would have loved to know more about Ebony, I feel like we only scratched the surface with her. Where was his mother during all of this? Not once did her mother ever come to visit or check in on Felix or even call Ebony. I believe they only spoke once over the phone and it was about Ebony going back to work.
There was also the little issue of Ebony being blackmailed. Someone wanted Ebony to leave her husband, apparently the Eissens wronged someone who wanted to make them pay. While this could have been an interesting subplot, there was a bit missing in my opinion. I didn’t feel legitimately afraid for Ebony, which was a problem. The danger aspect needed to be heightened if I am to believe Ebony was seriously in danger. Ebony didn’t even seem that afraid by it, to be honest. When she finally told Felix about it at the end of the book, she called them “crank calls”. Girl, someone is threatening your life and you call it a crank call? Tuh!
This brings us to the cliffhanger; someone is targeting the Eissen family and we don’t know who it is. I think it’s a pretty safe bet that Felix isn’t the only target. My curiosity has been peaked so I’ll be purchasing the second book, Making Scandal, to see what’s next for this family.
Natalya is the author of All The Things I Never Said, a soul-stirring collection of short stories, prose and love letters for the soulful wanderers, the brokenhearted and the hopeless romantics.
You can follow her rantings and occasional sparks of brilliance on Twitter @NatalyaMuncuff.
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