Book review by Corey
Keeping You a Secret
Keeping You a Secret follows Holland, a high school senior who seems to have everything pretty much figured out until Cece shows up at school and completely changes how she sees herself. Holland already has a boyfriend, college plans, and a life everyone expects her to follow, but her feelings for Cece force her to start questioning what she actually wants.
I liked that their relationship developed naturally instead of feeling forced, and the coming-out side of the story felt pretty honest about how scary that can be when family, friends, and school are all part of the pressure. Some of Holland’s choices frustrated me, but I still found myself rooting for her. A few parts definitely feel dated now, but the emotional side of the lesbian romance still works really well.
The Goods
- Strong lesbian coming-of-age story
- Holland and Cece have believable chemistry
- Good emotional tension
- The coming-out storyline feels honest
- Easy to get invested in
The Bads
- Some parts feel dated now
- A few side characters are pretty one-dimensional
- Some conflict gets repetitive
- The pacing slows in places
- Certain reactions feel a little extreme
My Recommendation
This is a good fit if you like lesbian YA romance, coming-out stories, and books about figuring out who you are when everyone around you already has expectations for your life. I liked that Holland’s relationship with Cece wasn’t treated like an easy solution to everything, because being honest about herself creates some very real consequences. If you enjoy LGBTQ+ stories with first love, family pressure, and a main character slowly finding the confidence to live more openly, Keeping You a Secret still has a lot of heart.
