S.E.C.R.E.T by L. Marie Adeline

Published by Doubleday Canada, a division of Random of House Canada Limited

Waiting tables can be fun and interesting work.  So many people pass through the restaurant and each have their own quirks and stories. Cassie Robichaud especially likes to speculate as to what their stories are. One particular couple have piqued the interest of the restaurant staff for some time. They always have an intimacy that shuts out the rest of the world. The woman has a flawless appearance, oozes femininity and confidence. The man focused on his partner, attentive to her every need.

Following one of their visits to the restaurant, a small notebook is discovered and the explicit contents lead Cassie to an underground society known as S.E.C.R.E.T. Their motto is simple: No Judgments.  No Limits. No Shame. There she discovers a very unique ten step program that promises to change her life forever.  Once a quiet young widow, with a one bedroom apartment in the ‘spinster hotel’ and a cat for company, Cassie now finds herself the recipient of a once-in-a-lifetime gift.  All she needs do is share her fantasies and be open to having those dreams fulfilled.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. Partially I had secretly hoped that it would be another kink novel, but much better than the 50 Shades series.  While I learned very quickly that S.E.C.R.E.T is not a kink themed book, I also learned that I love the message behind this deliciously steamy erotic tale.

I think a Random House statement put it best when they defined S.E.C.R.E.T as:

“a society that recruits women to help them realize their sexual fantasies and liberate their sexual selves”.

One of the things I personally loved about this book is the reality. This isn't another of those books where the plot is transparent and fantasies play out perfectly. Sure, there are gorgeous looking men who I certainly wouldn't kick out of bed, but there are also the mishaps, injuries, and hilarity that comes hand-in-hand with sexual creativity. My favourite involves a kitchen (I literally laughed out loud) and that’s all I am saying about that.  It’s a smart, sexy and fun read.

A few things about S.E.C.R.E.T that I'm excited about:

• It’s Canadian! L.Marie Adeline is a pseudonym for a bestselling Canadian Author.
• It’s the first book in a series. (I am eagerly awaiting the next book!)
• It's one of the most empowering erotic novels I have read.

I am also nervous about this book, in that so many people are already trying to label this as the Canadian Fifty Shades of Grey and that honestly does an injustice to this book. S.E.C.R.E.T blows 50 Shades out of the water.

You can learn more about the author, and read excerpts at http://www.secretnovels.com