In this instance, it works effectively to have some wallflowers present throughout. Torre does well to provide those, though these individuals seem only present to help stir up the Cat and Neena feud. This tense friendship would not work without some strong supporting characters. While they appear to be friends on the surface, there is no doubt that Cat and Neena have no love lost between them.

Torre crafts her characters effectively and provides detailed backstories for them both in the narrative, as well as a slow development as the plot builds. While these women come from completely different backgrounds, they have one thing in common: their burning desire for William. Told from the dual perspectives of Neena and Cat, the story offers two protagonists.

While the reader may feel they have entered a bucolic neighborhood, they soon discover that beneath the Botox and country club lifestyle, fake friendships and cutthroat antics are the norm. It builds on some fairly uncomplicated plot development, but turns dark and addictive as the chapters progress. Torre novel, I can see the allure of her work. The only thing left to determine is which of the two wants him more… and who is willing to make the sacrifice to show him. It will be Cat or Neena in the end, with William as the prize. Danger lurks behind every corner and the secrets pile up. No one will steal William away from her without a fight, that’s for sure. Though Cat, for her part, is not clueless. The admiration that Neena has begins to grow and she must make her move before it’s too late. While he may be her boss at work, Neena is eager to get better acquainted with William and push anyone who serves as an obstacle out of her way, including Cat.Ĭat and Neena begin a friendship that soon blossoms.

The move was her way of inching in the right direction, though it also causes Neena to see the major piece she is missing in her life. Her husband, Matt, has come to bore her and Neena seeks a new challenge. She’s been hired by William and has a job to do, but her skills as a life coach are the least of her concerns. Neena Ryder does not fit the Winthorpe mold, and doesn’t care. When the Ryders purchase the home next door, Cat greets them with open arms, hoping that her neighbors will be just as driven. Cat Winthorpe’s home is immaculate, and she’s made a name for herself, alongside her productive and successful husband, William.

Every last secret book review