All My Secrets by Lynn Austin

All My Secrets
by Lynn Austin

ISBN-13: 9781496437440
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: February 6, 2024

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
New York, 1898. The only thing more shocking than Arthur Stanhope III’s unexpected death is the revelation that his will bestows his company―and most of the vast fortune that goes with it―to the nearest male heir, leaving his mother, wife, and daughter unable to maintain their lavish livestyle. His widow, Sylvia, quickly realizes she must set aside her grief to ensure their daughter, Adelaide, is launched into society as soon as the appropriate mourning period passes. Sylvia wants to find a wealthy husband for Addy before anyone realizes they’re under reduced circumstances.

Sylvia’s mother-in-law, Junietta, believes their life could use a little disruption. She has watched Sylvia play her role as a society wife, as Junietta once did, despite what it cost them both. Junietta vows to give her granddaughter the power to choose a path beyond what society expects.

But for Addy to have that chance, both mother and grandmother must first confront painful truths about their own choices. Only in bringing their secrets to light can they hope to reshape their family inheritance into a legacy more fulfilling than they ever dared dream.


My Review:
All My Secrets is a Christian historical set in 1898 in New York. It's about the legacy we leave behind and how our actions affect future generations. As the oldest, Junietta's story unfolded first as she told Sylvia and Addy about her first love. He was an impoverished immigrant who headed off to make it rich in the gold fields of California so he could give Junietta the lifestyle to which she's accustomed. She's forced into marriage with Art, the son of an evil, scheming man who set his sons against each other. Her marriage wasn't a love match, and she wants that for Addy along with a sense of purpose that she's found in supporting charities for widows, orphans, and the poor.

Sylvia then told how she married Junietta's son to regain the wealth of her childhood only to fall in love with him. She's determined to find a wealthy husband for Addy so that they both can continue the lifestyle they're used to. Addy likes social events and can't imagine giving up her home (even if it costs too much to maintain), but the men willing to court her aren't ones she can see spending her life with. Decisions, decisions for everyone.

The characters were complex, realistic people, and I cared about them. Historical details about what life was like were woven into story, and some major historical events affected the women's lives. Junietta received God's forgiveness for her sins and, out of gratitude, reached out to help others. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written historical.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.