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The Secrets We Keep
After her father’s tragic death, abandoning thoughts of university, Hayley has supported her mother with the day to day running of the Estuary House Hotel in Kingswater. Now, she is ready to return to her studies, but before that there’s a summer to enjoy.
Hayley has no idea how much the two young men she is about to meet will influence her future. Adam Davenport, wealthy and entitled, arrives on his father’s luxury motor yacht, livening up the quiet town with his on-board parties. But it’s photographer Nick Pallister, staying at the hotel while working on an assignment for the Cornish Tourist Board, who captures her heart.
As the end of summer approaches, Nick unexpectedly checks out, taking steps to make sure he cannot be traced, leaving Hayley to face the fact she has merely been a summer fling. Days later, Adam takes a taxi into Truro and disappears. Despite an extensive police search, he is never found.
Six years later Hayley is settled and happy with a small daughter, Amelie. Nick Pallister’s unexpected arrival at the hotel, takes her by surprise, dredging up unwanted memories. Why did he leave so suddenly? And did it have anything to do with Adam’s disappearance? But there’s the danger Nick could have questions of his own, ones that might jeopardise the new life she has built for herself and her daughter.
Hayley has no idea how much the two young men she is about to meet will influence her future. Adam Davenport, wealthy and entitled, arrives on his father’s luxury motor yacht, livening up the quiet town with his on-board parties. But it’s photographer Nick Pallister, staying at the hotel while working on an assignment for the Cornish Tourist Board, who captures her heart.
As the end of summer approaches, Nick unexpectedly checks out, taking steps to make sure he cannot be traced, leaving Hayley to face the fact she has merely been a summer fling. Days later, Adam takes a taxi into Truro and disappears. Despite an extensive police search, he is never found.
Six years later Hayley is settled and happy with a small daughter, Amelie. Nick Pallister’s unexpected arrival at the hotel, takes her by surprise, dredging up unwanted memories. Why did he leave so suddenly? And did it have anything to do with Adam’s disappearance? But there’s the danger Nick could have questions of his own, ones that might jeopardise the new life she has built for herself and her daughter.
383 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 25, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 29, 2023
Romantic suspense isn’t always a personal favourite – but my goodness, the author does it so very well. This story drew me in from the very beginning and kept me gripped by its many unexpected twists and turns.
Hayley’s plans to go to university were put off after the loss of her errant father – she’s been helping her mother run Kingswater’s Estuary House Hotel – but, when the summer is over, she plans to return to her studies. But the summer has some excitement in store – the arrival of a luxury yacht in the bay, with three young men on board who plan to make the most of their stay with a round of increasingly out-of-control parties. Adam Davenport becomes Hayley’s friend, introducing her to the high life – but not everyone is pleased about the way he constantly turns to her for advice, and she’s not entirely happy either with the way he expects her to be at his beck and call. There’s no romance there – she’s far more attracted to photographer Nick Pallister, staying at the hotel while on an assignment, who’s unfortunately been snapped up by pushy receptionist Scarlett. Life becomes difficult for everyone – there’s a real edge of darkness to the story, an undertone of threat and danger – that culminates in Nick’s sudden departure from the hotel just as a relationship between them begins to develop, followed by Adam’s unexplained disappearance.
The story then moves on six years. Nick is back in Kingswater, having been asked by Adam’s mother – police intervention and a succession of private investigators having drawn a blank – to help her investigate his disappearance given his familiarity with the community. Hayley – still at the hotel, now with a young daughter – is still hurting after Nick’s earlier abandonment. There are blanks to be filled, questions to be answered, secrets to be uncovered – and a lot of effort needed to put right the wrongs of the past before there’s any possibility of a happy ending.
I must say that I found this a really compelling story, very different, and with excellent characterisation – there’s a lovely focus on friendship and family (and there are certainly plenty of complications there…), and the book’s romantic content is beautifully handled. The book’s main villain really made me shudder – but he was never anything but entirely believable, desperately unstable and deeply threatening. But the other supporting characters are exceptionally well drawn too – I particularly liked Trystram, with his unwavering support for Hayley and his alliance with Nick as he moves closer to uncovering the full story.
The secrets that slowly emerge were perfectly handled, with the tension and mystery sustained throughout – it was one of those stories where you think you’ve worked everything out, only to find that you were looking in the wrong direction. The second chance elements were excellent too – emotionally engaging, and I really wanted things to work out for the individuals I’d rather taken to my heart. And I really must mention the perfect Cornish setting – vividly drawn, with a real sense of community, and a few familiar characters (something I always enjoy…) from the earlier books.
This was a book I really enjoyed – the author’s writing and story-telling has never been better – and one I’d very much recommend to others.
Hayley’s plans to go to university were put off after the loss of her errant father – she’s been helping her mother run Kingswater’s Estuary House Hotel – but, when the summer is over, she plans to return to her studies. But the summer has some excitement in store – the arrival of a luxury yacht in the bay, with three young men on board who plan to make the most of their stay with a round of increasingly out-of-control parties. Adam Davenport becomes Hayley’s friend, introducing her to the high life – but not everyone is pleased about the way he constantly turns to her for advice, and she’s not entirely happy either with the way he expects her to be at his beck and call. There’s no romance there – she’s far more attracted to photographer Nick Pallister, staying at the hotel while on an assignment, who’s unfortunately been snapped up by pushy receptionist Scarlett. Life becomes difficult for everyone – there’s a real edge of darkness to the story, an undertone of threat and danger – that culminates in Nick’s sudden departure from the hotel just as a relationship between them begins to develop, followed by Adam’s unexplained disappearance.
The story then moves on six years. Nick is back in Kingswater, having been asked by Adam’s mother – police intervention and a succession of private investigators having drawn a blank – to help her investigate his disappearance given his familiarity with the community. Hayley – still at the hotel, now with a young daughter – is still hurting after Nick’s earlier abandonment. There are blanks to be filled, questions to be answered, secrets to be uncovered – and a lot of effort needed to put right the wrongs of the past before there’s any possibility of a happy ending.
I must say that I found this a really compelling story, very different, and with excellent characterisation – there’s a lovely focus on friendship and family (and there are certainly plenty of complications there…), and the book’s romantic content is beautifully handled. The book’s main villain really made me shudder – but he was never anything but entirely believable, desperately unstable and deeply threatening. But the other supporting characters are exceptionally well drawn too – I particularly liked Trystram, with his unwavering support for Hayley and his alliance with Nick as he moves closer to uncovering the full story.
The secrets that slowly emerge were perfectly handled, with the tension and mystery sustained throughout – it was one of those stories where you think you’ve worked everything out, only to find that you were looking in the wrong direction. The second chance elements were excellent too – emotionally engaging, and I really wanted things to work out for the individuals I’d rather taken to my heart. And I really must mention the perfect Cornish setting – vividly drawn, with a real sense of community, and a few familiar characters (something I always enjoy…) from the earlier books.
This was a book I really enjoyed – the author’s writing and story-telling has never been better – and one I’d very much recommend to others.
July 29, 2023
So many secrets, so many consequences…
Since her father died, Hayley has been running together with her mother the Estuary House Hotel in Kingswater. Now that things are more settled, she is determined to start her studies again after the summer. But this is a summer where everything changes… First of all, there is the arrival of Adam Davenport on his father’s yacht with his two friends. With their wealth and entitlement, they build up a reputation with their constant partying. And Hayley, while initially she liked Adam, realizes that her and Adam’s world couldn’t be more apart, and she doesn’t want to be part of his. Especially after the arrival of photographer Nick. There is something about him Hayley finds herself attracted to, and the feelings seems to be mutual. At least Hayley thought so, until Nick just takes off and leaves after the summer, to never get in touch again. But Nick isn’t the only one with a disappearing act, as also Adam as left no trace of himself after the summer. Six years later, Nick is back in Kingswater, to find Hayley still there, and now with a daughter, Amelie. But Hayley is wary of his return and his reasons. And while she wants some answers, also Nick wants to find some answers, especially to his questions concerning Adam’s disappearance. With so many secrets being kept, is the truth ready to be heard?
At first I felt truly elated returning back to Kingswater. Yet I knew there would be so many mysteries in this book, I didn’t expect to be so intrigued and I didn’t expect to have such an urgence to read and keep reading to have every question answered. And even if some twists weren’t that unexpected, some totally blew me away…
Hayley is the kindest person ever. She puts her own future on hold, just to help her mother out. She becomes friends with Adam and gives him genuine and good advice about his own future, and she isn’t the kind of person to hold a grudge against someone. She gives everyone a fair chance, but that doesn’t mean she is gullible. Hayley quickly understands that Adam is easily influenced, and knows when to hold her distance. But she is also that person that when she falls in love, she does it very deeply.
And that is what we see what happens with Nick. Because no matter how hard Adam tries to win her affections, it’s Nick that wins her heart. It all starts with Nick needing Hayley assistance with his project, yet the both of them quickly realize that there is something between them that cannot be denied or ignored.
Beside the romance in this story, there is also a lot of mystery in it. As a reader, we know the answers to a few mysteries already, but by far all of the secrets…
So when six years later, and also several disappointments later, Nick returns to Kingswater on a mission, it’s clear that Hayley won’t give him a warm welcome back. Especially now she has a little girl to protect…
Hayley for sure has matured in those six years, while then she fell quickly in love with Nick, now she keeping her heart locked for safety. And I couldn’t blame her… Even if I knew why Nick went AWOL, I could see why Hayley couldn’t believe a word he said.
But we also see how determined Nick is to make Hayley understand why he did what he did. And he isn’t afraid of admitting the mistakes he has made. And seeing him trying to make things right again, and how he just clicked with little Amelie, warmed my heart.
Like I said, there are so many secrets and mysteries in this story. And while the romance had me reading, it was the need to uncover all those secrets that kept me reading page after page after page. Some revelations were expected, while others just left me flabbergasted. And sometimes those the closest to us are the ones that betray us the most…
That only shows that people are weird creatures… while they think they are doing the right thing, it is the totally wrong thing to do. Even the most villain of the villains in this book (because there is more than just one…) acts villainous for what he thinks is a right cause. And while I somewhere could understand his thinking, his actions are completely wrong. And he ends up paying a very high price for it…
But this story is also about being afraid of who you truly are. Many characters are hiding a side of themselves, afraid for several different reasons. Yet, if you cannot be who you truly are, can you even be truly happy?
This story is a slow story, yet a deep one too. With its pace, we get the chance to get to know each character. And those worthy of our love, gain it very quickly. The author takes us once again on a real journey, filled with love, family, friendship, kindness, but also betrayal and hurt. Yet those negative emotions absolutely don’t weigh up to all the positives! Because despite all the secrets that people keep, it isn’t until all it out there, that love in all its senses can prevail.
I already loved this author, and with this last book, she elevated herself to an even higher status!
Since her father died, Hayley has been running together with her mother the Estuary House Hotel in Kingswater. Now that things are more settled, she is determined to start her studies again after the summer. But this is a summer where everything changes… First of all, there is the arrival of Adam Davenport on his father’s yacht with his two friends. With their wealth and entitlement, they build up a reputation with their constant partying. And Hayley, while initially she liked Adam, realizes that her and Adam’s world couldn’t be more apart, and she doesn’t want to be part of his. Especially after the arrival of photographer Nick. There is something about him Hayley finds herself attracted to, and the feelings seems to be mutual. At least Hayley thought so, until Nick just takes off and leaves after the summer, to never get in touch again. But Nick isn’t the only one with a disappearing act, as also Adam as left no trace of himself after the summer. Six years later, Nick is back in Kingswater, to find Hayley still there, and now with a daughter, Amelie. But Hayley is wary of his return and his reasons. And while she wants some answers, also Nick wants to find some answers, especially to his questions concerning Adam’s disappearance. With so many secrets being kept, is the truth ready to be heard?
At first I felt truly elated returning back to Kingswater. Yet I knew there would be so many mysteries in this book, I didn’t expect to be so intrigued and I didn’t expect to have such an urgence to read and keep reading to have every question answered. And even if some twists weren’t that unexpected, some totally blew me away…
Hayley is the kindest person ever. She puts her own future on hold, just to help her mother out. She becomes friends with Adam and gives him genuine and good advice about his own future, and she isn’t the kind of person to hold a grudge against someone. She gives everyone a fair chance, but that doesn’t mean she is gullible. Hayley quickly understands that Adam is easily influenced, and knows when to hold her distance. But she is also that person that when she falls in love, she does it very deeply.
And that is what we see what happens with Nick. Because no matter how hard Adam tries to win her affections, it’s Nick that wins her heart. It all starts with Nick needing Hayley assistance with his project, yet the both of them quickly realize that there is something between them that cannot be denied or ignored.
Beside the romance in this story, there is also a lot of mystery in it. As a reader, we know the answers to a few mysteries already, but by far all of the secrets…
So when six years later, and also several disappointments later, Nick returns to Kingswater on a mission, it’s clear that Hayley won’t give him a warm welcome back. Especially now she has a little girl to protect…
Hayley for sure has matured in those six years, while then she fell quickly in love with Nick, now she keeping her heart locked for safety. And I couldn’t blame her… Even if I knew why Nick went AWOL, I could see why Hayley couldn’t believe a word he said.
But we also see how determined Nick is to make Hayley understand why he did what he did. And he isn’t afraid of admitting the mistakes he has made. And seeing him trying to make things right again, and how he just clicked with little Amelie, warmed my heart.
Like I said, there are so many secrets and mysteries in this story. And while the romance had me reading, it was the need to uncover all those secrets that kept me reading page after page after page. Some revelations were expected, while others just left me flabbergasted. And sometimes those the closest to us are the ones that betray us the most…
That only shows that people are weird creatures… while they think they are doing the right thing, it is the totally wrong thing to do. Even the most villain of the villains in this book (because there is more than just one…) acts villainous for what he thinks is a right cause. And while I somewhere could understand his thinking, his actions are completely wrong. And he ends up paying a very high price for it…
But this story is also about being afraid of who you truly are. Many characters are hiding a side of themselves, afraid for several different reasons. Yet, if you cannot be who you truly are, can you even be truly happy?
This story is a slow story, yet a deep one too. With its pace, we get the chance to get to know each character. And those worthy of our love, gain it very quickly. The author takes us once again on a real journey, filled with love, family, friendship, kindness, but also betrayal and hurt. Yet those negative emotions absolutely don’t weigh up to all the positives! Because despite all the secrets that people keep, it isn’t until all it out there, that love in all its senses can prevail.
I already loved this author, and with this last book, she elevated herself to an even higher status!
May 1, 2023
Gripping romantic suspense - a super summer read!
Great characters, an intriguing page turning plot in a beautiful coastal setting. Suspense, skulduggery and deceit, laced with a tale of romance that had me on the edge of my seat!
Great characters, an intriguing page turning plot in a beautiful coastal setting. Suspense, skulduggery and deceit, laced with a tale of romance that had me on the edge of my seat!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews