My Secret to Tell by Natalie D. Richards

The Basics:
My Secret to Tell by Natalie D Richards
Sourcebooks Fire
YA, Mystery/Romantic Suspense
Published October 6, 2015
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Why I picked up this book:

I liked the blurb!

Blurb:

Emerson May is "the good girl." She's the perfect daughter, the caring friend, the animal shelter volunteer. But when her best friend's brother breaks into her room, his hands covered in blood, she doesn't scream or call the cops. Because when Deacon smiles at her, Emmie doesn't want to be good.

The whole town believes notorious troublemaker Deacon is guilty of assaulting his father. Only Emmie knows a secret that could set him free. But if she follows her heart, she could be trusting a killer...

You can't always trust the boy next door.

My Thoughts:

I really loved this book when I read it last year--so why I didn't immediately review it is beyond me.

Emmie's a likeable main character. What I liked about the story most was the sense of precariousness that I felt around Emmie. She trusts Deacon, but is under so much pressure to believe in his guilt. There's incredible tension around whether or not she will stick to her guns or if she's going to cave to everyone else's opinion. 

And because the reader sticks with Emmie, we're also left to question Deacon's innocence or guilt. I think that was a really good decision, not to include Deacon as a narrator. Because we'd seen things from his side, it would have been clear one way or the other from the get-go. Not knowing raises the stakes for the reader in a way that I really enjoyed.

There are some great twists in the plot, and while I found one of the biggest ones to be pretty predictable, I still really enjoyed reading the book. 

I also loved the setting. Touristy, boat-oriented, it was a bit out of the ordinary from what I'd been reading at the time, and I liked how that played into the story. The dynamics of locals versus tourists and how locals interact with tourists (e.g., Deacon flirting with the tourists for the sake of sales) was really interesting to consider.

I'd call this one YA romantic-suspense, even though it was romance-lite. I would have loved a bit more on the romance front--the draw between Emmie and Deacon provides a significant emotional connection point for the reader. More payoff on that front would have been nice. I realize the conditions aren't really conducive, and this is a YA book, but... still. 

Still, I was entertained by this book, and ultimately, that's what I ask for in my fiction.

Bottom line:

My Secret to Tell is a pretty entertaining read for an afternoon when the kids are at school, and you want unwind from a productive morning. Pick it up, and enjoy!

4 stars
For fans of YA fans, particularly if you like mystery/suspense in your stories.

Don't just take my word for it though! I've gathered up a couple of other blog reviews, so check them out for some other opinions!

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Caroline Andrus