The Secret

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly good
Review: All the way through this book, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

On the whole, I think the book could have been stronger. We never really got to see the early parts of the marriage which was supposedly so great. Stephen's descent into madness was a little unbelievable, and the ending was too contrived.

HOWEVER. It held my attention, and I liked it in spite of its flaws. I think this is because the main character was believable, and her transformation was also believable.

On the whole, excellent mind candy, recommended for a lazy afternoon or a long plane trip.

Rating:
Summary: Delicious-for every woman who dreamed about getting even!
Review: In the beginning of their marriage, Stephen and Miranda were very happy together. In particular, Stephen enjoyed and needed the adoration his spouse heaped on him, especially since he received little of that from his own parents, who expected their offspring to be a genius like themselves. Instead they are disappointed that he is only a pedestrian advertising executive. When Stephen decides to write "spy" novels, he uses the pseudonym "Forrester" so that he will not further disappoint his parents. The novels become smashing successes, but have a nasty by-product. With success, Stephen changes from a likeable chap into an arrogant snob, who believes that he is superior to his wife. ..... ,,Stephen begins to hide assets so that when he obtains a divorce, he will keep more than he is legally entitled to have. When an explosion destroys the bank Stephen is in, he walks away from the rubble, deciding to allow the world to think he died in the blast. Stephen heads to LA where he spends his money on booze and women. Miranda, who has learned much about her "deceased" husband's perfidy, writes the next "Forrester" novel so that she can earn a decent income to care for herself and her children. Shockingly, the new novel is a critical and commercial success and Miranda's luck changes for the better, especially when a new man enters her life. As Miranda's star rises, Stephen's star dims. He is running out of money and his so called new friends are starting to desert him. He cannot find any publishing firm willing to print what he considers to be a literary landmark. When Stephen discovers that his family is making it without him, his anger takes him over the edge. He wants to return to his old life even if it means killing Miranda to achieve this objective. ...... THE SECRET could very well be the next "First Wive's Club" and a best seller as well since it has all the ingredients necessary to attract a large female readership. Most readers will get a vicarious thrill out of seeing the metamorphosis of the heroine turning into a powerful individual while watching the disintegration and descent into madness that overcomes Stephen. Cynthia Victor capitalizes on many a person's fantasy of evening the score with those who hurt them. This book is a delightful reading experience. .....Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Great story, great book, lots of suspense
Review: Miranda Schaeffer is happily married to Stephen. Stephen is a bestselling author under the pseudonym of "Forrester", who writes anonymously. No one, besides Miranda and Stephen, knows he is Forrester. Stephen becomes very rich and at the same time more insecure. Stephen's secret is that he leaves Miranda and the children and runs off to California with all their money to live a selfish life of luxury and women. Miranda is left with barely enough money to survive. She believes he died in a bomb explosion. As Miranda discovers the real truth about Stephen, she grows stronger and more determined to make a good life for her and her children, and the secret comes back to ruin Stephen. Ms. Victor did a great job with this book, and having read several of her previous works, I believe this is the best one! A good, fast read especially if you like stories about women who come out on top.

Rating:
Summary: Revenge, plot-twists made this worth reading
Review: Miranda Shaeffer met her husband Stephen in college and now have three children. On a whim, Stephen writes a trashy adventure novel under the pen name Forrester, mostly to avoid the harsh disapproval of his stuffy parents. Neither his agent nor his editor know Forrester's identity. Only Miranda. As Stephen sees his fifth bestseller published, the money is rolling in and he is changing. He's moved his family into an outrageously huge apartment overlooking Central Park. He's got new friends, Armani suits and a new attitude. He's a different person, while Miranda has quit working, gained weight and turned into what Stephen sees as a dull, frumpy housewife, unwilling to grow with him. Stephen's eager to leave his wife and starts diverting most of his earnings to secret accounts. When a bomb goes off at a bank where Stephen just closed an account, he seizes the opportunity to play dead and escape, leaving Miranda to fend for herself and their children.

Miranda secretly takes over the role of Forrester, in a desperate attempt to mirror Stephen's writing style and save herself and her children from financial ruin. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Stephen West (formerly Stephen Shaeffer) has completed what he thinks is the Great American novel. He's almost out of money and can't get his book published. You see how the tables have turned?

The character development is weak, except for Stephen. His rotten character is as clear as a bell. What keeps the reader turning pages is the complex and interesting plot, occasionally predictable, but sometimes surprising. Overall, very entertaining.

By the way, Cynthia Victor doesn't exist any more than Forrester. The authors here are actually Cynthia Katz and Victoria Skurnick on their 5th collaboration.

Rating:
Summary: Good Female Power !!
Review: The Secret is mostly about Miranda Schaeffer picking herself up after her husband supposedly dies.

Miranda Schaeffer is left with 3 kids after her husband supposedly dies. There was a bombing in this bank and her husband, Stephen is caught at. People thought that he died but he really didn't, he just picked up himself and left the bank.

Stephen wanted to leave Miranda for a long time because after he became this famous author (Forrestor), whose identity is a secret to the public except his wife, Stephen thinks he's too good. He was starting to pick on her looks then her body and he was always being so negative. Never had he thought about her in a positive way. So when Stephen "died" he left Miranda with bills and no money because he took most of their money away from their joint account.

Now Miranda has to survive on her own, but how because she doesn't know what to do. Finally she decides to become Forrestor, because she desperately needed money. When she wrote the book, Miranda was hoping that it would at least publish but the book became a huge success! Even better than Stephen's writing.

While Miranda's life style is picking up, Stephen's life style is getting drab because he's running out of money. When Stephen discovers a book written by Forrestor, he decides to get his old life back, which is the time when he was Forrestor.

Stephen wants Forrestor back, no matter what and he would do anything to get it. Can Miranda survive Stephen's ruthlessness and viciousness and win?

I think Miranda is a good role model to women who were deceived and played by their boyfriends or husbands. I like this book because of the strength Miranda shows but this book is kind of on the boring side.