HOW TO KEEP A SECRET by Sarah Morgan is about a family, three generations of women tied to each other through blood, but more importantly by secrets.

In this warm, bubbling with quiet nerves story we meet Nancy, her daughters Lauren and Jenna, and her granddaughter Mackenzie. The sisters with a couple of years between them have a relationship worthy of being actual twins.

Nancy bound by secrets, heartbreak, and wounded self esteem is a complex character. Add to it she is an artist, pillar of the community on Martha's Vineyard where she's lived all her life, as have her ancestors. I can't say I enjoyed or loved her character as the story mainly focuses on the sisters and Nancy takes center stage only towards the end. I will say she is a smart woman, knows herself well and embraces her mistakes as well as her achievements. She is the type of women we see around us, all bright and shining, confident but with secrets of her spouse dimming her brightness. What makes her a strong character at the end of the day is how she redeems and liberates herself of the past. She even gives love a second chance which was simply amazing.

The sisters have a strong bond, entwined together by their love for each other, secrets, and a crazy dynamic of a wild cat and a scaredy cat together. The grown up versions are more reversed, but that soon changes as tragedy and death brings them back to the Vineyard, the place embedded in their lives and secrets.

Then there is Mack, Lauren's daughter, whose teen angst adds another layer to the family dynamic. It's a pleasure seeing her being a typical teen with glimpses of developing maturity.

The men, ah! Scott, though not a major role, I loved him from his introduction as reckless and irresponsible. Greg, too, is a sweetheart and well paired with Jenna.

The story sees the girls grow up, have a life of their own, coming full circle, and sorting their relationship with their mother, who was essentially emotionally absent from their childhood.

Secrets are at the heart of the story and there is no doubt that the story revolves around the family's past and its long living impact on their present.

HOW TO KEEP A SECRET is a story with well written characters, touching prose, and wonderful and introspective moments, which I enjoyed. The mix of touching emotions, well placed moments of romance, and some crazy teenage drama makes this a wonderful read.