GRR Reviews Gabe's Secret (Resolution Book 2) by Amy Durham

Gabe's Secret is sort of a parable about the price of being rich, and keeping shameful secrets (and how it sours relationships). There was a bit of suspense near the end that is reasonably well done. Overall, it's an entertaining book about love triumphs over all.

Rachelle Taya came from nothing and pulled herself up from nothing, for her mom had taught her well. Having escaped from a bad man ten years ago, they made enough... Rach and friends hang out at the coffee shop "Ugly Mug" in the town of Flagstaff AZ, and the barista/owner Gabe Jenkins was very sweet on Rachelle. Just as Gabe was getting to know Rach better, Rach's mother finally admitted to having financial problems... The bad man, legally Rach's father, was still running up credit card debt and somehow Rach's mom never divorced him, and thus, when creditors came calling, mom can't pay it all. Gabe sympathizes, but he's keeping a big secret. He spent 18 years in a hellhole called home, in Kansas, and he's never going back, no matter how grandma and others wanted to lay guilt on him, and he's actually quite rich. How does he help Rach, the woman he loved, without being rejected by Rach, and/or keeping his secret? Or is that going to cost him all that he loved?

The emotional push-pull and the complications are quite nicely done, and the suspense integrated without a problem. The scenarios are realistic and not melodramatic. Personally, I'd hope the mom would have developed a bit of backbone after ten years and still paying off her bad husband's bills? Without asking for help or consider the unfairness of it? But it's "almost plausible", and that's what counts.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Girl with problems at home falls for a coffee shop owner who's secretly rich but has his own shameful past...

Tropes: disguise, scars, evil parent, ca

Overall Rating:  4/5