Members, remember to participate in our free book programs by Saturday!

Read advance reader review of The Secret of Everything by Barbara O'Neal

Summary | Reviews | More Information | More Books

The Secret of Everything by Barbara O'Neal

The Secret of Everything

by Barbara O'Neal

  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Published:
  • Jan 2010, 400 pages
  • Rate this book

About this book

Reviews


Page 1 of 5
There are currently 29 member reviews
for The Secret of Everything
Order Reviews by:
  • Sharon S. (Stanley, N.C.)
    "The Secret of Everything" by Barbara O'Neal
    If you are a product of the sixties you will want to read "The Secret of Everything". Tessa Harlow has a job most of us can only dream of, but with this comes along a quest to find out who she is. Tessa has only a few memories of her childhood, but after an accident that brings her close to death she decides to search for the answers that have plagued her since childhood.Where or who will have the key to unlock her memories? Along the way she finds great food, new love and all the answers she has been searching for. A great fast read that book clubs will find very engaging!
    This would make for a great movie !
  • Diane D. (Blairstown, NJ)
    A Great Read
    I knew I was going to like this book from what I read on BookBrowse's synopsis of it, and I was not disappointed; it captivated me from beginning to end!

    I enjoy books that are about women who overcome odds, and this is one of those. There were times, when I was on the edge of my seat, which I think also makes for a good novel.

    Though I guessed some of what happened, it didn't spoil it for me; and I think others, who enjoy books that combine romance, mystery and action will like this book.
  • Mary Lou F. (Naples, FL)
    The Secret of Everything
    This book is very well written and keeps the reader wanting to read on but hating to see it end. The use of recipes at the end of each chapter is interesting and useful to "foodies". Would recommend to anyone who would like a good read.
  • Gwendolyn D. (Houston, TX)
    Self Discovery with a Dash of Romance
    Grappling with the guilt of a recent hiking catastrophe, adventure tour leader Tessa Harlow heads to the fictional town of Los Ladrones, New Mexico to research a possible future tour. While in Los Ladrones, deeply buried memories surface, and Tessa must come to terms with her past as she embarks on a quest to figure out what her ominous memories are telling her. The colorful characters of Los Ladrones play a large role in Tessa's quest, particularly the hunky and reliable Vince Grasso and his three daughters.

    The Secret of Everything grabbed me from the first page, and I read this almost-400 page novel in just a few days. Tessa's investigation into her past is suspenseful and keeps the story moving forward quickly. I also enjoyed the real-world romance story, mixed up with children, loads of laundry, and work. The recipes that appeared at the end of some of the chapters seemed a bit out of place, but they're easy enough to skip over. All in all, The Secret of Everything is a well-written light romance mixed with a story of self discovery.
  • Colleen L. (Casco, Maine)
    Secret of Everything
    I loved this book. The characters are interesting and the author does a great job telling you a little about them in the beginning and then eventually tying all the threads together. I like the way the author builds the story chapter by chapter. This left me so very anxious to see what happened that I actually read the entire book in one day. I particularly enjoyed the ending in which Tessa and Natalie engage in a pilgrimage. I also greatly enjoyed the recipes! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading books about relationships. Thank you VERY much Bantam for allowing me the opportunity to preview this book.
  • Lisa G. (Riverwoods, IL)
    Secrets and Everything Else
    It was refreshing to find a new author in the genre of my favorites, Robyn Carr, Sherryl Woods and Susan Wiggs.This novel, set in New Mexico, combines the author's interest in food with mystery, second chances and of course the requisite love story. I could have done without the author's inclusion of her recipes throughout the book since it has been done so much lately. I enjoyed how the author developed the relationships between the characters linking the past to the present but not in the ways I had expected.

    This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading her first book.
  • Wilhelmina H. (Florida)
    Would Recommend
    Overall I enjoyed reading this. I liked the writing style and found the characters to be mostly believable. I liked the author's use of words and phrases in describing sights and sounds, places and people. There are a few uneven patches regarding flow within the storyline - these parts didn't have quite enough detail or connection to make them fit well into the rest of the story and seemed either under-developed or not necessary. However, those parts don't take much away from the overall book. I would recommend this to readers looking for a not quite mystery, not quite romance, but a light blend of both. Weird deja-vu moment today ... drove past a house with windowsills painted similarly to those described in the book.

More Information

Read-Alikes

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket
    The Frozen River
    by Ariel Lawhon
    "I cannot say why it is so important that I make this daily record. Perhaps because I have been ...
  • Book Jacket: Everything We Never Had
    Everything We Never Had
    by Randy Ribay
    Francisco Maghabol has recently arrived in California from the Philippines, eager to earn money to ...
  • Book Jacket: The Demon of Unrest
    The Demon of Unrest
    by Erik Larson
    In the aftermath of the 1860 presidential election, the divided United States began to collapse as ...
  • Book Jacket: Daughters of Shandong
    Daughters of Shandong
    by Eve J. Chung
    Daughters of Shandong is the debut novel of Eve J. Chung, a human rights lawyer living in New York. ...

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
The Berry Pickers
by Amanda Peters
A four-year-old Mi'kmaq girl disappears, leaving a mystery unsolved for fifty years.
Book Jacket
In Our Midst
by Nancy Jensen
In Our Midst follows a German immigrant family’s fight for freedom after their internment post–Pearl Harbor.
Who Said...

Life is the garment we continually alter, but which never seems to fit.

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Big Holiday Wordplay 2024

Enter Now

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.