The Secret

A Single in Seattle Novel

By: Kristen Proby

Narrated by: Erin Mallon, Tim Paige

Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

From New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Kristen Proby comes a forbidden romance. The Secret is the first in the Single in Seattle series!

Vaughn is everything I’m supposed to stay away from. Sexy. Cocky. And famous.

Ultra-famous.

I grew up in a family full of wealthy celebrities. My father, Luke Williams, is the celebrity of all celebrities. A superstar actor and producer, my father knows the downside of living in the spotlight. And because of that, he sheltered my siblings and me from everything Hollywood entailed. We didn’t attend premieres. We weren’t photographed. There were no friendships with other celebrities’ children.

The limelight couldn’t touch us.

But now, at 25, I’m ready to start my life, working for my father’s production company in downtown Seattle - until Vaughn Barrymore walks through the door.

He can’t keep his hands off me. He’s completely forbidden, but I can’t help falling for the sweet, complicated man.

When - and it’s when, not if - my family finds out that I’ve been keeping this secret, will I have to choose between the man I love and those who mean the most to me? Or, by some miracle, can I have both?

©2022 Kristen Proby (P)2022 Kristen Proby

Wow!! A incredible next generation series with an alluring plot line!

Just when I thought I couldn’t love the With Me In Seattle series more, Kristen Proby comes out with a next generation series!!!! OBSESSED! The series kicks off with Olivia Williams, the daughter of the couple who started it all in Come Away With Me, Luke and Natalie. Within Olivia’s story you’ll also get so many glimpses of characters you love in the first series combined with all of their amazing children! A magnificent combination

This book lived up to every expectation I had for a next generation of characters and then some!! Kristen crafted the plot of this story so incredibly well as it was intriguing, entertaining and had alluring chemistry between all the characters! The storyline showcases the vast difference between two worlds when it comes to being famous. Olivia Williams is the daughter of Luke Williams but he worked hard to shield his children from any limelight or attention. On the flip side, Vaughn Barrymore was also born into a famous family but public attention was every part of his upbringing and even helped him with his career as a super famous movie star. What happens when these two meet and both worlds collide? It’s a book that will be making you yearn for more from this family! Easily a 5 star read and listen!

The narration for this book was very well done! The female’s male voice wasn’t my favorite and is the only reason I gave it 4 stars for performance. Otherwise it was fantastic!

Back To Seattle

The Secret is a leap forward in time and centers on the children of the characters from the With Me in Seattle series. This first book features Olivia, the daughter of Luke and Natalie. It was so much fun to dive back into this world and find out what is going on in the lives of all the older characters that I love so much while still feeling fresh and new.

Olivia gets in a crash course in all the reasons why her dad had sheltered her and her siblings from the limelight when she meets Vaughn, a very popular movie star. I liked that she was willing to draw the line on what she was comfortable with, and that Vaughn was willing to compromise to accommodate her. The story was engaging and as with any Kristen Proby story, was also full of great characters and strong female and family friendships.

This story had low angst and conflicts are resolved quickly and realistically. The story really felt like I was hanging out with an old friend and I’m looking forward to more in this series. It’s good to be back in Seattle!

Great narration from Erin Mallon as always. This is my first listen with Tim Paige, not my favorite, but not bad either.

Phenomenal

Kristen Proby is back in Seattle with the next generation. I was so excited for this one to come out, especially after reading Seth’s book (a next gen for Big Sky).

The Secret is Olivia’s story (Luke and Natalie’s first from Come Away With Me). I am absolutely obsessed with this book. I love how so much tied in to how she was raised and what we saw in the original series.
Vaughn is everything that Liv needs to stay away from….Heartthrob movie star. But who has so many layers.

I loved everything in this book.
Seeing the original family and couples
The bond that the cousins all have. I love the relationship Olivia and Stella have. It truly mirrors the one their moms have with each other.
The forbidden aspect of Vaughn and Olivia’s relationship.
Touch of enemies to lovers
Huge family dynamic.

I've read the ebook twice now and the audio just adds a whole other element. I am obsessed!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all the way

Great book

Another great book by: Kristen Proby. I love her books and can not wait for her next books!!!!!

Delighted and Surprised by this Next Gen Series!

I thought I knew what to expect going into The Secret, but this story delighted and surprised me page after page.

Before we get into the meat of the review let me say to the With Me in Seattle fans- Yes the Montgomery's are definitely present, and even the Mafia cousins have their nod. One of my favorite things about Kristen Proby's books are the Easter eggs and how seamlessly the stories are interconnected.

Olivia and Vaughn are magic on the page! Olivia is such strong independent woman she is talented, creative, fun and loving. She has a big family and a career she loves. She is a costume designer for her father's production company, however she does all she can do distance herself from her Dad's last name and make her mark on her skill and hard work. Vaughn is an actor from a celebrity family and is starring in the movie Olivia is starting to work on.

I expected Vaughn to be a bit of a playboy, self centered, jerk, but his true character was affectionate and attentive and upfront. I loved the communication between these two for the majority of the book, secrets, paparazzi and the cost of celebrity is definitely a part of this book, but it doesn't fall into one of the major blunders of the trope which was refreshing.

In true Proby fashion, Olivia has a strong girl group, but more than that she has a strong cousin group, all genders. It is fun to see how the kids of WMIS have grown up and what directions their lives are going. The cousin chats and parties are fun and funny with great banter.

This book had me feeling good from start to finish. I was worried that i wouldn't love the next generation as much as the original Montgomery crew. I shouldn't have bothered though, Kristen Proby gives us the stories that need to be told.

The audiobook is narrated by Tim Paige and Erin Mallon. They both do an excellent job bringing these characters to life. Erin's performance in particular sucked me into the story she really captured Liv and all the characters in her chapters.

Next generation

This series about the grown children of the couples in the "With Me in Seattle" series. Olivia is the first . She's the daughter of Luke and Natalie. Luke has tried to keep his children away from the fame of Hollywood. Now 25, Olivia is a costume designer at Luke's studio but uses her mother's maiden name so most people will understand that she got the job on her own talents. Vaughn is descended from Hollywood royalty and is used to publicity. When Olivia and Vaughn meet, the sparks fly. As they begin their relationship, the paparazzi find out who Olivia is and start trying to get stories about her. I like how everything is handled and Vaughn's caring about Olivia's feelings. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. Erin Mallon and Tim Paige really brought the book to life.

Ticked all my boxes

I was so excited to hear we were getting a new series from Kristen Proby and I’m really not sure my words can do The Secret ( Single in Seattle #1) justice but I’m going to give it my best shot. This is Vaughan Barrymore and Olivia Williams story and honestly what a perfect start to the next generation of the families we have come to love over the years, for me it was perfect to start the series with Luke and Nat Williams daughter.
Erin Mallon and Tim Paige did a fantastic job bring the characters and their story to life. Their voices were easy to listen to and they were spot on with the emotions that run high through this story.
Olivia has been kept out of the limelight all her life, her father has done his best to protect her and she even uses her mothers maiden name to prove she got her job at her fathers production company on her own merits. But now it seems she could be thrown straight into the limelight she has avoided because of the man who has caught her attention. From the moment she meets Vaughan sparks fly, the attraction is instant and the chemistry is off the charts but what will happen when her family find out, what will happen when secrets are revealed ? Well you are going to need to read the book to find that out.
This book touched me on so many levels, I loved the characters and their story but what took this book to another level was going back and catching up with everyone I have come to love over the years. A perfect start to the new series that has left me excited for what to come when we head back to Seattle once again.

Great cast of Characters

This was a quick, fun and sexy story. A great start to a spin of of the With Me in Seattle series. I loved it. I loved visiting with old characters and meeting new ones. There isn't too much angst, and no over the top misunderstandings. I found it fast paced and looking forward to this second generation of Single in Seattle. I listened to the audio and it was nicely done.

First book in second generation is a great start

When I read a Kristen Proby book I feel like I'm visiting family. The characters that are all connected and the swoony love story always hits the spot. I love being back in Seattle with my extended family. If you've read the With Me in Seattle series, you're going to love the next generation. But don't worry if you're a newbie. I think this book is just perfect on it's own, but you will get a taste of the parents.

The Secret sets up this new series and I'm here for it. The first book focuses on Olivia and Vaughn. Olivia is the daughter of Natalie and Luke. Luke was a big time movie star and he shielded his family from that life. Olivia is now a young woman working in the film industry as a costume designer, but she does not use her dad's name to get ahead. She is talented in her own right. When Vaughn Barrymore walks in for his fitting a day late, Olivia is not a fan. He's a reminder why she will never date an actor. A little hate to love??

But that hate quickly dissipates and they make friends real quick. ;)
Vaughn is intrigued with this talented designer and Olivia likes what she sees when Vaughn lets down his protective walls.

This was a fast paced love story of two different people that were raised in the industry, but in very different families. Olivia comes from a very loving and protective family and they are all around in Seattle. And Vaughn comes from a name, but not from love. His family is dysfunctional. Where Proby excels is creating such a wonderful family environment that's always there to support and have family gatherings with. You feel part of the family. Even when there was drama between these two, it didn't last long with both of their knowledge of the acting industry. I loved that they understood each other and didn't let the little things get in the way.

As for the audio, you gotta love when Erin Mallon takes the helm of the heroine. She made Olivia sexy and funny and your best friend that you want to hang with. And Tim Paige just nailed that Hollywood actor persona in Vaughn.

I'm definitely excited to get more in this world and to be back in Seattle with the gang!

So good!

I really enjoyed this. It was classic Kristen Proby and we are back in Seattle with the next generation and this story is Olivia’s, Luke and Natalie’s daughter from Come Away With Me. I loved Olivia and Vaughn. These two had amazing chemistry. She was so self assured, smart, talented and independent. Vaughn is a hot alpha Hollywood movie star. All the things Luke has always warned her to stay away from.
I loved these narrators they breathed life into these characters. Definitely a 5 star for me!