THE LOST ART OF KEEPING SECRETS

Author: Eva Rice ISBN: 0452288096 4/2007 CHICK LIT Publisher: PLUME

Welcome to a world of fashionable parties and romantic entanglements in 1950s London. When Penelope Wallace meets the stylish yet spirited Charlotte Ferris, she is swept off her feet and into the whirlwind of high society. Penelope lives in the shadow of her incredibly glamorous widowed mother in an enormous mansion known as Magna, which the family can no longer afford. But to Charlotte and her handsome cousin Harry, she is just what they have been looking for. By agreeing to accompany Harry to a party to make his American ex­girlfriend jealous, Penelope crosses a threshold that changes her forever, even as London itself is changing.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE LOST ART OF KEEPING SECRETS is not a novel that I believe will be a secret very long, Quite to the contrary, I just adored this novel. Eva Rice writes with a quick wit and a realistic approach to the characters in this novel. The story is one of Penelope, who is residing at her family's estate in England, Magna. This is also one of those estates that is having a difficult time making ends meet and happens to be falling into ruin. Rice paints an absolute glorious picture of England for those of us who have never been, and she does a fantastic job at imagery.

While Penelope is becoming wrapped up in her family's money difficulties, she meets Charlotte and her cousin Harry. As Penelope travels with the two, they begin to explore a world that Penelope has never been to, a part of and impart of an adventure that just might find Penelope a kindred spirit.

This novel takes an amazing journey through the British upper class. I learned from reading this novel that compassion is not just found in the working class, but also in the upper class of Britain. This book was extremely numerous. I haven't laughed out loud with an entire novel for quite some time. Eva Rice definitely will have no luck 'keeping secrets" with this novel.

Kym Oetting