Books › Can You Keep A Secret?
Can You Keep A Secret?
485 pages
A hilarious, cringe-inducing romp about the terror and ultimate liberation of being completely, accidentally known.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sharing a bottle of wine with your most chaotic, endearing friend as she recounts her latest disaster. It is a masterclass in secondhand embarrassment, wrapping the reader in a cozy, frantic atmosphere where every minor social faux pas feels like a life-or-death emergency. The narrative moves at a brisk, bubbly clip, propelled by a deeply confessional and self-deprecating internal monologue that makes you laugh out loud while wincing in sympathy. Beneath the sparkling banter and workplace hijinks lies a surprisingly tender exploration of vulnerability and the exhausting weight of keeping up appearances. It will utterly delight anyone who loves a classic British rom-com, offering a swoony, laugh-out-loud escape that celebrates the messy reality of being human.
- Mood
- lighthearted
- chaotic
- swoony
- secondhand-cringe
- Tone
- self-deprecating
- bubbly
- confessional
- wry
- frantic
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the facade of perfection · vulnerability and intimacy · workplace survival · authentic connection
- The writing
- Snappy, conversational, and highly internal, the prose reads like the breathless confessions of your funniest, most chaotic friend.
- The arc
- The journey shifts from frantic, anxiety-ridden concealment to the liberating relief of being loved for one's true, messy self.
- Who it's for
- Fans of British rom-coms who delight in high-stakes secondhand embarrassment and heroines who are charmingly, relatably flawed.
Content notes
- secondhand embarrassment
- workplace anxiety
- mild sexual content
About the book
Emma is like every girl in the world. She has a few little secrets.
Secrets from her mother: 1. I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom to Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben Hur.
From her boyfriend: 2. I'm a size twelve. Not a size eight, like Connor thinks. 3. I've always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.
From her colleagues: 4. When Artemis really annoys me, I feed her plant orange juice. (Which is pretty much every day) 5. It was me who jammed the copier that time. In fact, all the times.
Secrets she wouldn't share with anyone in the world: 6. My G string is hurting me. 7. I faked my Maths GCSE grade on my CV. 8. I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is...
until she spills them all to a stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger...
Description from Open Library.
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