S.E.C.R.E.T. Shared

by L. Marie Adeline

Overview

The romantic, adventurous, and sexually charged sequel to the sizzling bestseller SECRET, where women’s sexual fantasies become reality.

“[SECRET] will have you unleashing your inner goddess.”—Romantic Times

Still wounded from a recent heartbreak over her boss and lover, Will, Cassie Robichaud throws herself into service with S.E.C.R.E.T., the mysterious organization that changed her forever by bringing her deepest sexual fantasies to life, one step at a time. Now, it’s Cassie’s turn to guide the group’s newest candidate, Dauphine Mason, recruiting men to execute a new set of fantasies.

At thirty-one, Dauphine is the proprietor of a New Orleans vintage clothing store. She’s been harboring a crush on Mark Drury, a local rock star, but is too shy to put herself out there with him. She turns to S.E.C.R.E.T. to reignite her sexual flame and find the confidence to risk her heart again with another man.  

As Cassie worries that the right time will never come for her and Will, she finds inspiration helping Dauphine in S.E.C.R.E.T. Both women navigate the rocky path between their hearts and their passions, hoping to discover what they truly want in life and in love.
 
Don’t miss any of L. Marie Adeline’s steamy S∙E∙C∙R∙E∙T series:
SECRET • SECRET SHARED • SECRET REVEALED

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780804136860
Publisher:	Crown Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/15/2013
Series:	S.E.C.R.E.T. , #2
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	477,262
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

L. MARIE ADELINE is a pseudonym for the bestselling author Lisa Gabriele. SECRET, her first novel in this series, was an international bestseller. Her final novel in the internationally bestselling SECRET trilogy, SECRET Revealed is out in May 2014. Visit her at www.secretnovels.com.

Read an Excerpt

1

Cassie

Three thoughts occurred to me that morning while stretching awake across my bed in Marigny.

One, it had been six weeks since that incredible night with Will.

Two, I had fallen asleep with my S.E.C.R.E.T. bracelet on again, which hadn’t been a problem when it had only one or two charms on it. But there were ten now, so the gold pressed into the tender flesh of my wrists, leaving marks.

And three, it was my birthday. My cat, Dixie, blinked at me from the foot of the bed. I reached down and pulled her into an embrace, where she purred herself back to sleep, a skill I wish I had.

“I am thirty-six years old today, Dixie,” I said, scratching her ears.

Another year had snuck up on me like a bratty prankster. I hadn’t been paying attention to time passing until after my night with Will. Time had begun to slow. Some days ached past, work at the Café Rose being both a major comfort and the salt in the very wound I needed to heal. How could I get over Will when I saw him every day? How could I continue acting like nothing had happened between us the night I’d danced in Les Filles de Frenchmen Revue and we’d kissed our way back to the Café, up the stairs to that dusty room, where he tore off my burlesque outfit and tossed me backwards on a mattress lit by moonlight? Though he didn’t know it, I had chosen him that night as my final fantasy. He knew only how badly I wanted him.

For me the lines between fact and fantasy had dissolved and he became real to me. His skin felt like home. We kissed like we’d been doing it for decades. We fit, our bodies perfectly molded for the things we did to each other naturally, wordlessly. It was beyond fantasy. And to think that all this time he had been right under my nose and I hadn’t seen him, couldn’t see him. But after a year of S.E.C.R.E.T., after a year of pushing myself past self-imposed boundaries, I had unleashed something very real inside of myself. And when Will told me he and Tracina had broken up, I felt the universe finally aligning in my favor. The morning after our magical night, I thought Will was my reward for coming back to life.

I was wrong.

More than any other memory from that night, it’s Tracina’s face that haunts me—ashen yet hopeful, her steady voice delivering the kind of hard facts that kill fantasies. She told me she was pregnant with Will’s baby, and that he was thrilled when he found out.

What do you do with that very real information just when you think you’ve found the love of your life? You feel the final bubble burst around your fantasy and you walk away. That’s what I did. All the way across the city to the Coach House, where Matilda dried my tears. There she reminded me that embedded in every fantasy is reality.

“People love the fantasy,” she said. “But they ignore the facts to their detriment. And there’s a price to pay when you do that. Always.”

Fact number one: Will and I were finally together.
Fact number two: I was quite possibly in love with him.
Fact number three: His ex-girlfriend was pregnant.
Fact number four: When she told him, they got back together.
Fact number five: Will and I cannot be together.

Because Will was my boss, I had planned to quit my job right away, but Matilda urged me never to let heartbreak get in the way of very practical concerns, like work, paying rent, being responsible and fulfilling obligations.

“Don’t give men that much power, Cassie. Get on with the task of living. You’ve had a lot of practice this past year.”

I was such a tear-stained mess that morning. I wasn’t certain whether joining S.E.C.R.E.T. was the right decision. But at least I was making a decision. That was new for me. Prior to S.E.C.R.E.T., I always went with the most powerful force governing my life at any given time, usually my late husband Scott’s. He had brought us to New Orleans almost eight years ago, but his drinking erased any notion that we’d made a fresh start. We were separated when he died in a car wreck; he was sober at the time, but still a broken man. I was broken as well. And for five years after, I worked hard and slept fitfully, falling into a pattern of isolation and selfpity, until one day I found a diary detailing one woman’s journey through a mysterious set of steps that seemed to have a lot to do with sex—a journey that was transformative, to say the least.

Then I met Matilda Greene, the woman who became my Guide. She said she had come to the Café Rose for the diary her friend had dropped, but really she came for me, to introduce me to S.E.C.R.E.T., an underground group dedicated to helping women liberate themselves sexually, by granting them sexual fantasies of their choice. Joining the group, letting these women arrange fantasies for me, and finding the courage to go through with them, she said, would pull me out of my malaise. She told me she’d help me, guide me and support me. Finally, after a week of turning the idea over in my head, I said yes. It was a reluctant yes, but it was a yes nonetheless. After which my life changed completely.

Over the course of a year, I had done fantastical things with unbelievably attractive men, things I would never have thought possible. I let a gorgeous masseur pleasure me without asking for a thing in return. I met a sexy British man in a dark bar who secretly brought me to orgasm in the middle of a boisterous jazz show. I was taken by surprise, in many ways, by a tattooed bad-boy chef, who stole a bit of my heart while ravaging me on a prep table in the Café’s kitchen. I learned to give the most mind-blowing orgasm to a famous hip hop artist, who enthusiastically returned the favor, the memory of which still makes me tingle when I hear his songs on the radio. I took a helicopter to a yacht, then went overboard in a storm with the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. Not only did he rescue me, but his whole (incredible) body restored my faith in mine. Then the Bayou Billionaire himself, Pierre Castille, took me in the back of a limousine, after making me feel like the most beautiful girl at the ball. I skied the risky black diamond runs with Theo, the adorable Frenchman who pushed my sexual limits further than anyone had before. Then I went into sensory overload with a man I could only feel, not see, during a night that was blindingly sexy in more ways than one.

Then came my final fantasy, when I chose my beloved Will. I chose Will over S.E.C.R.E.T. and couldn’t have had a happier night, or a more glorious morning after.

Reading Group Guide

1. Cassie Robichaud and Dauphine Mason were both hurt by the men from their past. Both women isolate as a result. By partaking in S.E.C.R.E.T., how does Dauphine successfully leave those memories behind? How did Cassie? How does Dauphine’s journey differ from Cassie’s? How are they similar?

2. When Dauphine Mason is on the shore of the Abita River for her first fantasy, she is nervous, self-conscious and frozen, but she tells herself: " Stop thinking. Act," and takes the plunge as she accepts her first Step. What are some other examples throughout the book where Dauphine stops thinking and acts? What results does she get? Have you ever had to "shake yourself free" this way?

3. If you were a member of S.E.C.R.E.T., would you want to be a guide, recruiter or fantasy facilitator? Cassie experiments with all three roles—which do you think suits her best?

4. "You did it. You gave up control." For Dauphine, her journey in S.E.C.R.E.T. is a path leading her from a life ruled by control to one where she is finally able to let go. With each Step, she lets go of the familiar, routine and isolated life to which she finds herself increasingly clinging. What kinds of things do you control that you could benefit from letting go of? What steps have you taken to give up that control? What would freedom from those habits look like?

5. What did you think of Matilda’s recruiting methods? How was she able to spot a willing and able recruit in Dominic? Where would you go to spot a recruit? And what is the answer to Cassie’s question: how did Matilda "get the hottest guy in the park" to come to her?

6. As Cassie reflects on her relationship with Will, she marvels at the notion that she had known him for so many years, yet never allowed herself to see him as a potential lover until she was transformed by S.E.C.R.E.T. What other unseen gifts does she uncover? What are the gifts in your life that you might not be noticing?

7. After Luke leaves Dauphine and writes his bestselling book, humiliating her, how does Dauphine continue to give him power? When Dauphine meets Mark, how is that relationship different from her relationship with Luke?

8. Cassie’s experience with S.E.C.R.E.T. was successful in transforming her from someone withdrawn and timid to a confident, self-realized woman of action. But with Will, she feels stuck, unable to be with him. Matilda advises Cassie to get on with the business of life—not to let heartbreak get in the way of practical concerns. "Don’t give men that much power, Cassie. Get on with the task of living." Do you agree with this advice?

9. "I always went with the most powerful force governing my life at the time," says Dauphine. What are the powerful forces governing Dauphine’s life when we first meet her? How do they affect her life? By the end of the book, how have those forces shifted?

10. The first time Dauphine sees Cassie at Ignatius’s, Cassie gets Mark Drury’s phone number with an ease and confidence that impresses both of them. Have you ever seen a similar example in your life, when someone pulled something off that you couldn’t dream of doing? When Cassie then visits Dauphine at the Funky Monkey, how does she establish trust?

11. Before Dauphine decides to tell Cassie that she is interested in pursuing S.E.C.R.E.T., she asks her why she thinks fulfilling wild sex fantasies will fix everything. Cassie explains that it won’t fix everything but that it will create a "cascade effect" in her life. Do you agree that this is how change can occur? Is there any one thing you would like to change that might create a similar effect in your own life?

12. When Dauphine meets the S.E.C.R.E.T. committee at the Mansion, she makes a list of rules for herself from which she won’t budge: no flying, no lights on, nothing to do with beaches and no water. She breaks every one of her rules. What rules would you have if you were to take the S.E.C.R.E.T. Steps? Which ones might you consider breaking under the right circumstances?

13. What surprised you about Dauphine handing her completely empty fantasy folder over to the Committee, telling them, "surprise me"?

14. Cassie has Mark’s phone number yet she hesitates to call him. What holds her back? Do you think there remains a general perception that women shouldn’t call men? Why? Or why not?

15. Both Cassie and Dauphine hesitate before joining S.E.C.R.E.T. But Mark’s reaction to being recruited into S.E.C.R.E.T. is different. According to Cassie it "required no preamble . . . no psychic obstacles, [or] social conditioning to fight against; [it] didn’t cause him to question everything he was taught about his role in society or his sexuality." Do you think when it comes to men, women and sex, that there is still a double standard?

16. During Mark’s training with Angela, Matilda explains that making a woman feel desirable is the greatest aphrodisiac. Is that true for you? Angela instructs Mark to smolder, not smile, to take his time but not to be too deliberate and to maintain eye contact. Would you find this sexy? Are there are behaviors you would like a partner to exhibit to make you feel desirable? What do you make of Mark’s training session? What would you have done differently? What did you agree with?

17. In Buenos Aires, Dauphine trusts her instincts when she meets Pierre Castille and refuses to take the Step with him. What was it about him or that situation that made her feel unsafe? Do you have a reflex that allows you to protect yourself when you feel unsafe?

18. The theme of sexual rebirth is prevalent throughout the book. In addition to her fantasies, particularly the first one where she is submerged in a river, what are some other firsts in the book for Dauphine? What about Cassie?

19. Matilda says to Cassie: "The word ‘slut,’ unless employed by iron-clad feminists or ironically, by irony experts, has no business coming out of a woman’s mouth." Talk about that word and its ramifications. Why do you think Matilda is so passionate about the word "slut"? Do you agree with her?

20. Beside hair color, age and general shape, L. Marie Adeline does not describe Cassie or Dauphine’s physical appearances in very much detail, leaving much of what they look like up to the readers’ imaginations. She also refrains from referring to them as beautiful or sexy though the men they’re with often flatter them. Why do you think this is the case? How do you picture Cassie and Dauphine?

21. Dauphine and Cassie encounter many different men in the course of their S.E.C.R.E.T. journeys, including a police officer, a pilot, an athlete and a musician. Which one of these male archetypes would appeal to you the most, and why? Who is the sexiest character in the book? Why do you feel that way?

22. In the end, Will abandons Cassie after the revelations about her involvement in S.E.C.R.E.T. Do you understand why he felt he had to do this? Or do you think he was overwhelmed by this news so soon after Tracina’s betrayal? What do you think they’ll have to overcome to be together again?

23. At least for a while it looks like Cassie might pair up with Jesse again. Do they make a good pair? Do you think they reignite their passion at the end of the book? What are their chances for the long haul?

24. No Judgments. No Limits. No Shame. Over the course of the book, each tenet of S.E.C.R.E.T.’s motto is put to the test. Talk about the challenges the S.E.C.R.E.T. members face in upholding these values, and whether there are any times they fail to do so. What do you make of this motto in your life?


Readers Group Guide by Best Hester and Sarah Durning.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for L. Marie Adeline's S.E.C.R.E.T. trilogy

“[Adeline] takes the ‘casual’ out of ‘casual sex’ and infuses even scenes where you know the characters won't see each other again with an emotional authenticity as well as physical chemistry.”—USA Today

“Enough heat to satisfy even the most voracious of erotica devotees, and the female-empowerment angle might encourage hesitant-but-curious readers to challenge their own inhibitions and give erotica a try.”—BookPage

“Smoothly written. . . . Sexy.”—Kirkus Reivews

“[S.E.C.R.E.T.] will have you unleashing your own inner goddess.”—Romantic Times

From the Publisher

2013-10-05
Cassie volunteers to support S.E.C.R.E.T, the covert society in New Orleans that helps women overcome personal and relationship issues by acquainting them with the liberating possibilities of sexual fantasy, and introduces Dauphine to the mystery and adventure. At the end of a year of sexual adventure, Cassie Robichaud believes she has unlocked her true fantasy, a happily-ever-after with her best friend, Will. But when Will's girlfriend announces she's pregnant, everything falls apart and Cassie volunteers to help other S.E.C.R.E.T. clients, the underground society that helps women feel liberated and empowered through a series of sexual encounters. Cassie meets Dauphine and sees her as a prime candidate. She also meets Mark, a handsome local musician, and recruits him to be a sex partner fulfilling fantasies. As Will faces parenthood, he decides to expand his cafe and offers Cassie a huge professional opportunity, while events leave everyone doubting Will is actually the father. Dauphine hits unexpected bumps along her sexual journey, including a run-in with a New Orleans billionaire who has a grudge against the group. Ultimately, though, she'll have the chance to meet her fantasy crush, a local music star, and he just may be her forever-love. Pseudonymous author Adeline's follow-up to S.E.C.R.E.T. (2013) offers an intriguing erotic hook, and there are plenty of readers who will appreciate the storyline and the hot, fairly graphic sex scenes that are sprinkled liberally through the text. Frankly, though, the original book left some readers outraged with the awful ending, and this book will offend them again for the same reason. Also, romance fans (since that does seem to be the target audience) will be affronted by too many character choices and the rushed nature of Dauphine's arc. Readers looking for a smoothly written story with a lot of hot sex may enjoy this book. Those who want to feel satisfied emotionally may want to avoid it. Sort of sexy, but disappointing overall.

Kirkus Reviews