Title: The Safety of Secrets
Author: DeLaune Michel
ISBN: 0060817364
Pages: 320
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Chick Lit
Rating: **** (out of 5)

From the back cover:

"Now we're just alike." So begins Fiona and Patricia's friendship that warm autumn morning in first grade in Lake Charles, Louisiana, their bond forged ever closer by Fiona's abusive mother and Patricia's neglectful one. Their relationship is a source of continuity and strength through their move to L.A. to become actresses through Fiona's marriage and Patricia's sudden fame. When husband and career pressures exact a toll, the women wonder if their friendship can survive. Then a dark secret from their past emerges, threatening to destroy not only their bond, but all they've worked for as well.

The Safety of Secrets is a beautifully written exploration of the bonds forged in childhood and challenged decades later, of the fulfillment of dreams and the damage they can cause, and of secrets being uncovered and the truth we find inside.

The Safety of Secrets is a very interesting look at the friendship between women. It's an exploration of how deep these bonds go and a hard look at the trust between two people. What happens when that trust is betrayed? Can you ever go back to the way things were?

I have to say, I am a little confused as to what genre this book actually is. On one hand, I can't classify it as purely chick lit because it's much more about friendship than anything else. It's not really about a romance or anything like that. On the other hand, it's not really women's fiction either. I settled at contemporary fiction, but it definitely has elements of chick lit and women's fiction, so if you don't like those genres, keep that in mind as you approach this book.

Despite that confusion, I really enjoyed The Safety of Secrets. I've had friends that have been there for me since childhood, and it's easy to underestimate the complexity of these relationships, especially among women. This book tries to dive through the layers of secrets that make up these bonds - secrets between the two of you, but also the secrets you keep from each other. The novel shows how these secrets affect can affect friendships, positively and negatively. I'd definitely recommend this book to any fan of chick lit who wants something a little bit deeper.