Veil of Secrets

Can a mother face the secrets of her past in order to protect her daughter from the same mistakes?

Melanie and Will Connors seem like the perfect couple, but their marriage only looks good on the outside, having withered inside from a lack of intimacy.

The barriers Melanie faces to intimacy are hidden in her past—a misguided tryst with a trusted friend of her father's, a pattern of promiscuity as a teen, empty relationships in early adulthood. The only way Melanie sees to save herself from herself is to turn off her desires—even in her marriage.

Will insists they either work on the marriage—or work on the divorce. Their attempt at restoration occurs in the midst of a New Hampshire presidential primary that is rocked by violent protests and razor-sharp character assassinations. For the first time, their marriage begins to feel like a safe place.

As Melanie tries to sort through her own past, she sees her 16-year-old daughter's head turned by a charismatic older man on Will's campaign team. Can Melanie sift through her own rubble and find the voice to help guide her daughter—and possibly find the joy that God intended for her marriage?

My Thoughts:

Shannon Ethridge (http://www.shannonethridge.com/) and Kathryn Mackel (http://www.kathrynmackel.com/) author's of Veil of Secrets (follow-up to To Know You) is a gritty and "real life" look at the relationship of a power house political couple struggling to balance high profile positions, parenting and deep relational pain.  

Ethridge and Mackel do not hold anything back.  They write a well thought out plot with engaging characters who don't "have it all together".  Melanie and Will are characters who are well-developed and feel genuine.  They both struggle with their faith and present a true picture of what it is like to grapple and fight for their marriage all the while leaning on and trusting in a God Whose plans they don't completely understand.

Having read the first book, I appreciated how the authors continued the story from To Know You from a completely different angle without "re-telling" the story from book one. While this book could be read as a stand alone novel easily, you will want to begin with the first book and then move on to this one simply because of the progression of events.  Sitting on pins and needles for book 3!

*I received a digital copy of the book from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the purpose of this review.

Happy Reading,

Jennifer