A threatening note.

Long-buried secrets.

Their friendship tested.

The last time lifelong friends Payton, Isley, and Clara were together, Clara broke their unwritten rule and brought up the one thing they never talk about. And now, more than twenty years after their friend Cece took her life, they must confront that night as the three women and their husbands—plus one unexpected guest—gather at Isley’s Breckenridge vacation home. With tension already simmering just below the surface of their relationship, they’re each left shaken when a cryptic note arrives: Tell the truth or I will.

Who is the message for, and what does it refer to? The women fear it could be linked to the truth they’ve kept hidden since the night Cece died…or maybe it has something to do with one of the problems they’ve each brought with them.

Isley’s son is in rehab after narrowly avoiding jail time, spurring her to a reckless act of her own. Clara, usually so careful to follow rules, is haunted by the one night that she didn’t. And Payton has been in denial regarding her husband’s so-called plan for their marriage.

As the weekend unfolds, all three will revisit the bonds they share and the challenges that have shaped their lives. And by the trip’s end, a truth that shocks them all will be revealed.

~Standalone~  Trigger Warning ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Things We Keep Hidden
Series:  ~Standalone~
Author:  Jill Lynn
Published:  August 26, 2025
Publisher:  Harlequin Trade
My Rating:  4 stars

Things We Keep Hidden is a haunting story of friendship, even sisterhood, between four high school friends who are now a trio of friends holding on to secrets from the night that Cece took her own life.  Twenty years later, on a yearly vacation with their husbands, these women, Clara, Isley, and Payton, will face a threat that shatters their belief that a secret so long buried is close to being revealed.  Each woman is holding on to secrets in their present-day life beyond what happened to Cece so many years ago.  Tensions are running high, along with emotions that won’t stay contained for much longer.  “Tell the truth, or I will.”  There are so many different “truths”, and this gathering will either expose or heal; only time will tell that outcome.

First of all, a trigger warning.  Although any reader should be aware simply from reading the cover description that these characters are dealing with suicide, drug use, domestic violence, depression, and more.  If any of those subjects are a trigger for you, personally, continue with caution or simply walk away.

I enjoyed Things We Keep Hidden by Jill Lynn.  It’s well-written, emotional, and kept me engaged from start to finish.  My heart broke for so many characters, my anger rose for others, and throughout, I could feel the ties that bind these women, the love between them, and the heaviness of the secrets they all are carrying.  Their story is one that will make you think about your own decisions, your own life, and wonder what you would do in their circumstances.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)