The Secret Women: A Novel

by Sheila Williams

Overview

TOP SUMMER 2020 BEACH READ PICK--theSKIMM, PopSugar, Time, Woman's World, Parade, and Bookstr 

The author of Dancing on the Edge of the Roof, now a Netflix film starring Alfre Woodard, returns with a riveting, emotionally rich, novel that explores the complex relationship between mothers and daughters in a fresh, vibrant way—a stunning page-turner for fans of Terry McMillan, Tayari Jones, and Kimberla Lawson Roby.

Elise Armstrong, Carmen Bradshaw, and DeeDee Davis meet in a yoga class. Though vastly different, these women discover they all have one thing in common: their mothers have recently passed away. Becoming fast friends, the trio make a pact to help each other sort through the belongings their mothers’ left behind. But when they find old letters and diaries, Elise, Carmen, and DeeDee are astonished to learn that each of their mothers hid secrets—secrets that will transform their own lives.

Meeting each month over margaritas, the trio share laughter, advice, and support. As they help each other overcome challenges and celebrate successes, Elise, Carmen, and DeeDee gain not only a better understanding of the women their mothers were, but of themselves. They also come to realize they have what their mothers needed most but did not have during difficult times—other women they could trust.

Filled with poignant life lessons, The Secret Women pays tribute to the power of friendship and family and the bonds that tie us together. Beautiful, full of spirit and heart, it is a thoughtful and ultimately uplifting story of unconditional love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062934246
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	02/27/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	301
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Sheila Williams is the author of six books, including Things Past Telling, The Secret Women, and Dancing on the Edge of the Roof, the basis for the Netflix film Juanita. She is the librettist for the opera Fierce, commissioned by The Cincinnati Opera, with music by William Menefield, which premiered in July, 2022. She lives in northern Kentucky.

Editorial Reviews

"A moving examination of the complexities of motherhood and the strength of female friendship.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This big-hearted, authentic portrayal of both friendship among middle-aged women and the mother-daughter bond will appeal to fans of Terry McMillan.” — Booklist

From the Publisher

This big-hearted, authentic portrayal of both friendship among middle-aged women and the mother-daughter bond will appeal to fans of Terry McMillan.

Booklist

This big-hearted, authentic portrayal of both friendship among middle-aged women and the mother-daughter bond will appeal to fans of Terry McMillan.

Booklist

Zakiya Young skillfully provides an entertaining performance of this audiobook, capturing the personalities of each of its characters. Three women realize that they have more in common than their yoga class. All have been putting off dealing with their deceased mothers’ effects. Vowing to assist each other with this unwanted task, the trio begin to lean on one another as deep secrets are unveiled. Young brings the three protagonists to life and smoothly portrays the rest of the characters. The listener can easily imagine each scene. Even pacing and volume keep the story flowing. An enjoyable production that listeners won’t want to put down. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

JULY 2020 - AudioFile

Zakiya Young skillfully provides an entertaining performance of this audiobook, capturing the personalities of each of its characters. Three women realize that they have more in common than their yoga class. All have been putting off dealing with their deceased mothers’ effects. Vowing to assist each other with this unwanted task, the trio begin to lean on one another as deep secrets are unveiled. Young brings the three protagonists to life and smoothly portrays the rest of the characters. The listener can easily imagine each scene. Even pacing and volume keep the story flowing. An enjoyable production that listeners won’t want to put down. A.L.S.M. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

JULY 2020 - AudioFile

2020-03-29
A newfound friendship galvanizes three women into exploring their late mothers’ pasts.

Elise Armstrong is just “not feelin’ Namaste” at her weekly yoga class when her less than enthusiastic performance catches the attention of her classmates Carmen Bradshaw and DeeDee Davis, who also seem to be struggling with finding their Zen. When they decide to grab dinner at a Mexican restaurant after class, they discover that all three are grappling with the grief left in the wakes of their mothers’ deaths—Elise’s mother, Marie Wade; Carmen’s mother, Joan Bradshaw; and DeeDee’s mother, Laura O’Neill. All of the women are still in the process of going through their mothers' possessions, and each is hesitant to dive into the past for varying reasons. Marie was a collector—of African masks, 10 sets of china, five distinct collections of jewelry—and Elise is overwhelmed with the prospect of picking through it all. Laura struggled with bipolar disorder throughout DeeDee’s childhood, and DeeDee is not only dealing with the fear that her free-spirited daughter, Frances, has inherited her grandmother’s mental illness, but she is loath to unearth more of Laura’s inner turmoil. Joan was a preacher’s wife who lived a quiet life, and Carmen doesn’t imagine she’ll find any evidence to the contrary in her mother’s old things. But when Elise, DeeDee, and Carmen agree to help each other wade through these items, they grow closer to each other and to the women their mothers really were. Flashback chapters from Joan’s perspective prior to Carmen’s birth as well as diary entries written by Laura during DeeDee’s adolescence give further insight into the ways each mother’s experience intersects and contrasts with those of her daughter in the present day.

A moving examination of the complexities of motherhood and the strength of female friendship.

Kirkus Reviews