REVIEW: Hidden Secrets by Jannine Gallant

In Hidden Secrets (Siren Cove #3) by Jannine Gallant, Paige Shephard is ready to find the man she wants to be with forever. Yet, her search isn’t that easy, especially when she compares every single available man to her best friend, Quentin Radcliff. However, it’s not as if she can have the one man she wants when he doesn’t want a relationship. But when Paige is targeted by a madman, will Quentin finally realize how much he wants her or will they lose their shot at happy ever after?

”I can’t believe how amazing you look. Was I blind all these years, or just stupid?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?” Her voice held a hint of humor.
“Probably not. Okay, we’ll talk about something guaranteed to cool my libido. Have you heard whether they’ve identified those bones yet?”

Ms. Gallant certainly knows how to write romantic suspense that delivers a good dose of suspense and romance to keep this reader satisfied and the way this story started with the prologue and the suspense side of this story had me hooked from the very beginning. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time where this story really gets interesting, as Paige and Quentin have quite the connection, and yet, they’ve never pushed for anything more because neither want to lose the tight friendship they have.

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the suspense and the main characters back stories and I loved how the plot twists kept me wondering what would happen next. Since there was more than one person that could have been the bad buy and I was determined to figure out who it is. Moreover, I loved the hero. He’s confident, hard-working, driven to succeed in anything he does and I liked how determined he was to protect the heroine. I also liked how the hero progressed, as he realizes that Paige is the one and relationships are possible for him, especially after all that he goes through in this story that made me wonder whether he’d be capable of getting out of the trouble he finds himself in. While the heroine, she’s resilient, courageous, hard-working and I liked how she stood up for herself when it came to the arrogant men that are determined to scare her when it comes to things they believe she shouldn’t have when it comes to her work. Really, she’s not easily intimidated, which shows through Ms. Gallant’s writing. I also liked how determined she was to help the hero when they both realize how much trouble he’s in. Will Paige be able to find proof that Quentin didn’t do anything wrong?

”What are you talking about?” After she locked up, he strolled to the passenger side of the Jag and opened the car door.
She slid onto the leather seat. “My guess is the winning bid for you will be extremely high. After tonight, I may not be able to afford to buy you a Christmas present.”
He couldn’t help grinning. “Hey, it’s for a good cause, right?”
“Right.”

Overall, Ms. Gallant has delivered a really good read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was strong; the romance was nicely-detailed and full of heat and passion; and the ending had me worried for the main characters, but had me loving how everything works out for these two in the end because they’re good together. I would recommend Hidden Secrets by Jannine Gallant, if you enjoy romantic suspense, the friends to lovers trope or books by authors Kari Lemor, Mary Burton, Marnee Blake and Samantha Keith.
 

Book Info:

Publication: November 27th, 2018 | Lyrical Press | Siren Cove #3

NATURAL BEAUTY
Antiques shop owner Paige Shephard has a good eye for finding rare treasures in other people’s junk. But when it comes to her love life, her instincts aren’t so sharp. If only she could stop comparing every man she meets to her best friend, Quentin Radcliff . . .

A LAID-BACK LIFESTYLE
Opening a new restaurant in his former hometown of Siren Cove gives Quentin a much-needed break from the string of women he’s been dating–and allows him the space to reconnect with Paige. But being with her after all this time awakens a long-denied desire.

AN INESCAPABLE DANGER
With Quentin at her side–and in her bed–Paige should be happy at last. But she’s unsettled by a series of break-ins at her shop. Figuring out why she’s being targeted is as difficult as figuring out her complicated relationship with Quentin. And when a local woman disappears–and Quentin becomes the main suspect–they’ll have to dig deep into the deadly secrets of Siren Cove’s past to clear his name–and find any hope of a future together.