July 28, 2022

ARC REVIEW Secrets We Whisper in the Moonlight (Decisions in Durham #2) by Rachel Higginson

Secrets We Whisper in the Moonlight (Decisions in Durham #2) by Rachel Higginson 
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: May 24, 2022
Format: eARC (Provided by Author)
Publisher: Reckless Siren Publishing (Self-Published by Author)


As a reader, I was first introduced to the English siblings and their jointly owned cocktail bar Craft in the first book in Rachel Higginson’s Decisions in Durham series, Decisions We Make After Midnight. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to watch the prickly pear of a sibling Will (who is secretly a teddy bear with a heart of gold) find his love match in Lola. Now, it’s the second sibling’s turn in Secrets We Whisper in the Moonlight and it’s finally time for Eliza to face the feelings she has been harboring for her brother’s best friend Jonah. After all the tension and angst that Ms. Higginson set up between them, I absolutely had to dive straight into the story and figure out what would happen. It was well worth the wait!

If you’re a fan of contemporary romance, then I think you’ll really enjoy this book (and the series overall). It’s reminiscent of an adult version of The Kissing Booth or To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before; a cute and heartfelt contemporary romance that also has some elements of a romantic comedy. Outside of the central romance, the familial bonds are woven quite firmly throughout the different threads of the story. The sibling squabbles between Eliza, Will, and Charlie felt incredibly relatable and authentic, and that only heightened my enjoyment of the book. Personally, I aspire to find someone who looks at me the way Jonah looks at Eliza; it's obvious he’s head over heels for her no matter if she’s dressed to the nines or in a comfy pair of sweats and a hoodie. Cue the heart eyes!


My one complaint about the book was how predictable it was. Nothing was surprising; the ‘brother’s best friend trope, ‘childhood crush/second chance romance’ and small-town vibes basically dictated how everything played out. Maybe it’s just the downfall of going in with a lot of expectations of what I think the book should be, but I wanted more. It’s undeniably a cute story, but I was hoping for the release of tension between Eliza and Jonah to be more like a rubber band snapping or a dam breaking after years of too much pressure - it didn’t quite meet expectations in that regard. Let me be clear: I’m not trying to imply the book was bad (because it was great)  or that there’s anything wrong with it (because I don’t think there is), I just think it was a case of expectations not meeting reality, and that negatively impacting my overall rating of the book. 


Everything considered, Secrets We Whisper in the Moonlight was another enjoyable and entertaining read from Rachel Higginson. Between this series, her Star-Crossed one, and Starbright (which I’m still upset she hasn’t finished), Ms. Higginson has a fan for life in me. I’m super excited to see what’s next in the Decisions in Durham series. After everything he’s gone through, Charlie deserves a ‘happily ever after’ ending too (and I have a feeling I know who it will be with). As a side note, potential readers should be aware that this series can be read out of order (they are designed to be standalone). However, I do recommend reading them in order for maximum enjoyment as characters from the first book do make an appearance in the second. 


Thank you to the author Rachel Higginson for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Secrets We Whisper in the Moonlight immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 



About the Author

Rachel Higginson is the author of The Opposite of You, The Five Stages of Falling in Love and The Star-Crossed Series, plus about a bajillion more books. Just kidding. But seriously, she’s written a lot of them. From zombies to chefs to trailer parks, she loves to challenge herself in new genres and explore new worlds.

She met her husband when she was eight-years-old and fell in love instantly. Just kidding again, because that would be weird. Although, they have been friends nearly their whole lives, they didn’t start dating until high school. Now they have five kiddos together and nearly every episode of The Office memorized. They love their crazy, chaotic, overwhelming life.

Most days you can find Rachel running twenty minutes behind schedule, coffee in hand, an audio book playing in her ear and an eBook open on her phone. One day, life will settle down and she’ll get places on time. Until then, she’s planning to enjoy every second of the madness that is raising kids, doing life and writing books.

Check out my reviews of other books by Rachel Higginson

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