"KEPT SECRETS," by Traci Hunter Abramson, Covenant Communications, $16.99, 279 pages (f)
Devin Shanahan and Grace Harrington met and dated in high school, but after six years apart they have both grown emotionally. "Kept Secrets" opens as Devin and Grace are about to start their last semester of graduate school and see each other at a wedding.
They are immediately interested in starting a serious relationship and quickly find they are in love, even after all these years apart.
Their whirlwind wedding leaves them little time to spread the good news to friends and family. Trying to spend time together as they finish school in two different states makes it even harder to share their joy. They tell a few important people in their lives. Grace's grandfather is accepting of the news, but Devin's parents are not.
Devin and Grace look forward to being in the same state together after graduation, but it does not happen as quickly as they would like.
Devin has a secret. He works for the CIA and is forbidden to share his true employer with his new wife. Devin's assignment to spend six months alone in Hong Kong starts them both on an adventure that neither planned and both hope to survive.
"Kept Secrets" shares the perspectives of Devin, Grace and Fai Meng, who works for the Chinese government and wants to recruit Devin as a double agent.
"Kept Secrets" is a fast-paced, suspenseful romance novel. It has allusions to romantic intimacy without specific details. There is mention of drugs and alcohol and generally described violence consistent with a spy-type lifestyle. There is no foul or offensive language.
Abramson is a graduate of Brigham Young University and previously worked for the CIA. Abramson has won three Whitney Awards in the mystery/suspense category.
Jennifer Autry has called many states home and is an American military wife with two beautiful girls. She is an aspiring author. Her blog is imperfectlymormon.blogspot.com.