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The Secret Beach
THE STUNNING AND ROMANTIC NEW NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR VERONICA HENRY!
'I adored every word. Sublime, as always' JILL MANSELL on Thirty Days in Paris
Twenty years.
One secret.
A promise never to tell...
Twenty years ago, Nikki's long-held dreams are lost forever when a terrible storm rolls into the small seaside town of Speedwell.
Ever since that night, Nikki has been keeping a secret. One she knows has the potential to destroy the lives of those she loves most.
So when a handwritten note lands on her doorstep, she realises it's only a matter of time before the heartbreaking truth of her past is uncovered.
Because if there's one thing Nikki knows, as sure as the tide turns, there are no secrets in a small town...
'I adored every word. Sublime, as always' JILL MANSELL on Thirty Days in Paris
Twenty years.
One secret.
A promise never to tell...
Twenty years ago, Nikki's long-held dreams are lost forever when a terrible storm rolls into the small seaside town of Speedwell.
Ever since that night, Nikki has been keeping a secret. One she knows has the potential to destroy the lives of those she loves most.
So when a handwritten note lands on her doorstep, she realises it's only a matter of time before the heartbreaking truth of her past is uncovered.
Because if there's one thing Nikki knows, as sure as the tide turns, there are no secrets in a small town...
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 29, 2024
477 people are currently reading
1088 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Henry
68 books1,591 followersVeronica Henry was a television script writer before turning her hand to fiction. She has published sixteen novels which she describes as realistic escapism - her setting are gorgeous, but her characters have problems and dilemmas everyone can identify with.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
March 19, 2024
Wow!! The Secret Beach is brilliant! I didn't think Veronica Henry's books could get better than than her last book - Thirty Days in Paris ( my favourite book of 2023 but this one comes mighty close or may even have beaten it.
Such fantastic writing, I felt I was right there with them in the town of Speedwell in North Cornwall, amongst all the action. The characters were perfect, the location amazing. Its the perfect uplifting story that has it all. A perfect summer read for curling up with or snuggling up with at any time of the year.
This is the 9th book I have read by Veronica Henry since I come across her a couple of years ago and I've enjoyed them all. I hope there's many more to come. and cant wait to read the rest.
A big thanks to Orion Publishing Group, Orion for the ARC.
Such fantastic writing, I felt I was right there with them in the town of Speedwell in North Cornwall, amongst all the action. The characters were perfect, the location amazing. Its the perfect uplifting story that has it all. A perfect summer read for curling up with or snuggling up with at any time of the year.
This is the 9th book I have read by Veronica Henry since I come across her a couple of years ago and I've enjoyed them all. I hope there's many more to come. and cant wait to read the rest.
A big thanks to Orion Publishing Group, Orion for the ARC.
June 11, 2025
Ik vond de schrijfstijl heel fijn. De beschrijvingen van de omgeving waren geweldig en het hele plaatsje klinkt heerlijk idyllisch 😍. Wel vond ik 'het geheim' niet zo spannend en ik vond eigenlijk het grote verhaal een beetje dun. De onderwerpen in het boek waren wel echt heel mooi gedaan. Ik heb me vermaakt, maar ik denk dat ik het verhaal over het algemeen iets te lang vond voor het verhaal zelf. Wel wil ik ook graag een buurman die goed kan koken aub.
April 1, 2024
Sadly, did not enjoy this one. Very few likeable characters and too much self doubt all around. I finished it but would not read it again.
September 21, 2024
I usually enjoy Veronica Henry's books but, this one really wasn't as good. I found it slow and a little boring.
July 12, 2025
Ik heb me ontzettend goed vermaakt in dit boek, ookal was de verhaallijn redelijk voorspellend en het grote geheim niet onverwachts.
Ik las er vlot doorheen. Het boek heeft korte hoofdstukken en ik vind de schrijfstijl ontzettend fijn. Ze schrijft ontzettend beschrijvend, maar precies goed. Je waant je op de locaties met de mensen die ze beschrijft. Ik kreeg ook regelmatig trek van het lekkere eten.
In dit boek is rouw wel het hoofdthema, iedereen heeft wel iemand verloren. Iedereen gaat er anders mee om en voor iedereen is de impact op het leven net weer even anders.
Nikki is een erg onzeker personage die dus ook al 20 jaar met een "groot" geheim rondloopt. Je leert Nikki goed kennen in het boek in eigenlijk bijna alle vlakken van haar leven. Ik vond het super tof dat ze bij de reddingsbrigade zat en dat daar ook genoeg aandacht voor was in het boek. Nikki's personage groeit wel in het boek, maar ze doet er wel ontzettend lang over.
Ook de andere karakters in het boek worden uitgebreid beschreven. Liefde voor de moeder en de buurman en zelfs haar ex en bestie. Ik kreeg alleen echt geen klik met haar oudste zus, zo ontzettend egocentrisch.
Ik vond het een heerlijke read. Eentje waarbij je lekker naar de ruige kust wordt getransporteerd en kan genieten.
Ik las er vlot doorheen. Het boek heeft korte hoofdstukken en ik vind de schrijfstijl ontzettend fijn. Ze schrijft ontzettend beschrijvend, maar precies goed. Je waant je op de locaties met de mensen die ze beschrijft. Ik kreeg ook regelmatig trek van het lekkere eten.
In dit boek is rouw wel het hoofdthema, iedereen heeft wel iemand verloren. Iedereen gaat er anders mee om en voor iedereen is de impact op het leven net weer even anders.
Nikki is een erg onzeker personage die dus ook al 20 jaar met een "groot" geheim rondloopt. Je leert Nikki goed kennen in het boek in eigenlijk bijna alle vlakken van haar leven. Ik vond het super tof dat ze bij de reddingsbrigade zat en dat daar ook genoeg aandacht voor was in het boek. Nikki's personage groeit wel in het boek, maar ze doet er wel ontzettend lang over.
Ook de andere karakters in het boek worden uitgebreid beschreven. Liefde voor de moeder en de buurman en zelfs haar ex en bestie. Ik kreeg alleen echt geen klik met haar oudste zus, zo ontzettend egocentrisch.
Ik vond het een heerlijke read. Eentje waarbij je lekker naar de ruige kust wordt getransporteerd en kan genieten.
February 22, 2025
4.25 stars
Of love, grief, family, and new beginnings. This was a reflective, emotional book. I wasn't sure initially, but it really grew on me. At moments I shed a tear. The writing is very good, and put across the complexities of emotion so well. I liked the different generations being shown. A moving book exposing the dangers of secrets.
Of love, grief, family, and new beginnings. This was a reflective, emotional book. I wasn't sure initially, but it really grew on me. At moments I shed a tear. The writing is very good, and put across the complexities of emotion so well. I liked the different generations being shown. A moving book exposing the dangers of secrets.
March 16, 2025
Such a lovely book that really has your emotions all over the place. Had me on tenterhooks as to how the story would go, but felt the book ended well & not cut short as many are. The characters were all lovely too.
February 29, 2024
The Secret Beach is the brand new story from Veronica Henry and once again she has written a thoroughly enjoyable book. It’s centred around a family who live in a small seaside village called Speedwell in North Cornwall. The family are still adjusting to the loss of their father and brother-in-law many years ago and it’s the women left behind who have to pick up the pieces and move forward. But this is very difficult to do given the main character Nikki has been harbouring a secret. If said secret is revealed she feels her family’s lives will be even further torn apart yet the guilt is weighing heavily on her, especially when she receives a sinister postcard which says - there are no secrets in a small town. To say my interest was aroused would be an understatement and I was keen to dive into the book and see what Nikki was keeping close to her chest and why.
The book is mostly set in the present day but a brief introduction is given set twenty years earlier. A storm is approaching the village which will have severe consequences but a woman has to do the noble thing and meet someone at their secret beach. Why does she feel the need to do this given the warnings for the storm and why will it be their last time meeting? These questions as well as many others ran through my mind but to discover the answers we are taken back to the present and the story slowly starts to unfold. The pace throughout the book wasn’t fast or a rollercoaster of emotions. It didn’t need to be instead there is a lovely, gentle and relaxed pace which allows the reader to get to know the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Bit by bit, the strands of the story start to come together and by the end there is a deeply satisfying conclusion which makes Nikki and others realise that family is the most important thing.
Nikki now has an empty nest as her son Bill has moved to Bali. She needs to downsize but wants to remain in Speedwell. The house of her dreams has just come on the market, a former coastguard’s cottage at Devil’s Cove, which is near to the secret beach which means so much to her. The reasons for her love of this beach become more evident the further the book progresses. Nikki is a wedding planner and her company has had good success. As well as this she is a member of the lifeboat crew as was her father and brother-in-law Rik. She craves the seascape and solace. She enjoys the ability to be by herself and enjoy her own company as everyone in a small seaside town knows everyone else’s business.
With the opportunity to buy the cottage she feels the world is her oyster and the past can be put behind her but not so when the postcard arrives and sets the cat amongst the pigeons and all thoughts of the past and what she has tried to avoid come rushing back to her. Nikki meets her new neighbour Adam Fitzroy and his dog Gatsby. He has moved from London and is recently widowed. Despite his situation you can see that there is a little spark between the pair but given the maelstrom of emotions that is about to be unleashed is Nikki in a place to pursue things further than a friendship or is Adam even ready to?
The story deftly moves back and forth between the past and the present enabling connections to be established and chapter by chapter things become clearer to the reader. Grief is something Nikki is not immune to and she knows how lost you can feel as does Adam. I have to say I did prefer the chapters set in the present day but at the same time I appreciated the need for recollections of the past. In the past, we see Nikki as a young and impressionable girl whose sister Jess is the complete opposite to her.
Jess is wild and pushes people to the edge and always gets what she wants. She is headstrong and you never know what angle she is going to take. She could be a judge or as nice as pie. Jess has scant regard for her sister and when the dazzling and seductive Rik sails into Speedwell harbour he certainly catches the eyes of the two sisters. Rik has been drifting about on his boat trying to find his place in the world. Nikki feels very comfortable in his presence, like she has known him forever and she introduces him to the secret beach. They really get to know one another and the reader can see that Nikki is falling hard and fast. But as the storm approaches life is about to change for Nikki and it will never be the same again and it’s only in the present day that we learn the true story of Nikki and Rik and how Jess forms part of it too. But to say much more would give too much away. Suffice to say, it was a tangled and interesting web which I could see no way out of once you were within its clutches.
The Secret Beach is another winner from Veronica Henry. I really do enjoy her style of writing. This story focused on love, loss, family relationships and there was a nice bit of drama thrown in too and all in all it made for a really enjoyable read with memorable characters, setting and a plot that will have you guessing until the end.
The book is mostly set in the present day but a brief introduction is given set twenty years earlier. A storm is approaching the village which will have severe consequences but a woman has to do the noble thing and meet someone at their secret beach. Why does she feel the need to do this given the warnings for the storm and why will it be their last time meeting? These questions as well as many others ran through my mind but to discover the answers we are taken back to the present and the story slowly starts to unfold. The pace throughout the book wasn’t fast or a rollercoaster of emotions. It didn’t need to be instead there is a lovely, gentle and relaxed pace which allows the reader to get to know the characters and the situations they find themselves in. Bit by bit, the strands of the story start to come together and by the end there is a deeply satisfying conclusion which makes Nikki and others realise that family is the most important thing.
Nikki now has an empty nest as her son Bill has moved to Bali. She needs to downsize but wants to remain in Speedwell. The house of her dreams has just come on the market, a former coastguard’s cottage at Devil’s Cove, which is near to the secret beach which means so much to her. The reasons for her love of this beach become more evident the further the book progresses. Nikki is a wedding planner and her company has had good success. As well as this she is a member of the lifeboat crew as was her father and brother-in-law Rik. She craves the seascape and solace. She enjoys the ability to be by herself and enjoy her own company as everyone in a small seaside town knows everyone else’s business.
With the opportunity to buy the cottage she feels the world is her oyster and the past can be put behind her but not so when the postcard arrives and sets the cat amongst the pigeons and all thoughts of the past and what she has tried to avoid come rushing back to her. Nikki meets her new neighbour Adam Fitzroy and his dog Gatsby. He has moved from London and is recently widowed. Despite his situation you can see that there is a little spark between the pair but given the maelstrom of emotions that is about to be unleashed is Nikki in a place to pursue things further than a friendship or is Adam even ready to?
The story deftly moves back and forth between the past and the present enabling connections to be established and chapter by chapter things become clearer to the reader. Grief is something Nikki is not immune to and she knows how lost you can feel as does Adam. I have to say I did prefer the chapters set in the present day but at the same time I appreciated the need for recollections of the past. In the past, we see Nikki as a young and impressionable girl whose sister Jess is the complete opposite to her.
Jess is wild and pushes people to the edge and always gets what she wants. She is headstrong and you never know what angle she is going to take. She could be a judge or as nice as pie. Jess has scant regard for her sister and when the dazzling and seductive Rik sails into Speedwell harbour he certainly catches the eyes of the two sisters. Rik has been drifting about on his boat trying to find his place in the world. Nikki feels very comfortable in his presence, like she has known him forever and she introduces him to the secret beach. They really get to know one another and the reader can see that Nikki is falling hard and fast. But as the storm approaches life is about to change for Nikki and it will never be the same again and it’s only in the present day that we learn the true story of Nikki and Rik and how Jess forms part of it too. But to say much more would give too much away. Suffice to say, it was a tangled and interesting web which I could see no way out of once you were within its clutches.
The Secret Beach is another winner from Veronica Henry. I really do enjoy her style of writing. This story focused on love, loss, family relationships and there was a nice bit of drama thrown in too and all in all it made for a really enjoyable read with memorable characters, setting and a plot that will have you guessing until the end.
August 4, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ nice characters with an idyllic setting and an enjoyable storyline, bit of a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming.
September 29, 2025
An easy read …. Ideal as a holiday read.
February 25, 2024
Discover the locations in the novel here
I admit. I’d barely started to read this novel when I came across the secret cove within and really wanted to go there. I feel a bit like a treasure seeker as I found it, not in Cornwall but in Devon! It was inspired by a beach close to where the author lives in Devon and that just made me smile. When a small place, a beach, a cove, a cave or something is blended into a novel, I immediately want to visit! It seems so secretive, so personal somehow and this certainly was!
The secret beach holds many secrets and is the crux of the novel. It was the secret meeting spot for one of the characters, Kate, who meets up with the love of her life. It’s somewhere to hide away from the prying eyes of the people she knows in Speedwell. A fictional village but I wouldn’t mind living there!
The beach and the secret come back into play years later when someone writes a note saying that they know about her secret meetings. Years have passed, relations have been made, families and friends formed. But this note changes the mood and the direction of a few lives.
I loved the secret nature of this story, the romance but also the sadness. It’s hard to live your life in a small Cornish village where everyone thinks they know everything about you. Kate has a lot to think about and I felt her anguish but also smiled at her memories.
Ah this is just the book to read on Valentines Day!
March 13, 2024
Veronica Henry - The Secret Beach.
Let Veronica Henry take you to the picturesque seaside town of Speedwell.
Nikki has just bought a cottage that overlooks the secret beach. A place that holds many memories for her.
Nikki’s heart belongs in Speedwell. Along with her family, her cosy new home and her lovely new neighbour, life is looking good.
But Nikki has secrets. Secrets that nobody should know about.
When handwritten notes start being delivered through Nikki’s door, it seems that someone knows the truth…. but who?
Can Nikki settle into her new home and enjoy her new life? Even with the past snapping at her heels.
#TheSecretBeach is a captivating tale. It’s a family saga and a love story, all set to a breathtaking Cornish coastal backdrop.
There are well written characters, who have warmth and depth. Nikki’s sister was, as we say in Wales, ‘a bit of a load,’ but she wasn’t without some redeeming features.
Veronica Henry delivers another glorious read. It’s heartwarming and uplifting.
As always Veronica Henry tells her story beautifully, with words that flow effortlessly and entice the reader to keep turning those pages.
Another five star read from this clever lady.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
With thanks to Random Things Tours and Netgalley for a digital arc of this title.
Let Veronica Henry take you to the picturesque seaside town of Speedwell.
Nikki has just bought a cottage that overlooks the secret beach. A place that holds many memories for her.
Nikki’s heart belongs in Speedwell. Along with her family, her cosy new home and her lovely new neighbour, life is looking good.
But Nikki has secrets. Secrets that nobody should know about.
When handwritten notes start being delivered through Nikki’s door, it seems that someone knows the truth…. but who?
Can Nikki settle into her new home and enjoy her new life? Even with the past snapping at her heels.
#TheSecretBeach is a captivating tale. It’s a family saga and a love story, all set to a breathtaking Cornish coastal backdrop.
There are well written characters, who have warmth and depth. Nikki’s sister was, as we say in Wales, ‘a bit of a load,’ but she wasn’t without some redeeming features.
Veronica Henry delivers another glorious read. It’s heartwarming and uplifting.
As always Veronica Henry tells her story beautifully, with words that flow effortlessly and entice the reader to keep turning those pages.
Another five star read from this clever lady.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
With thanks to Random Things Tours and Netgalley for a digital arc of this title.
March 17, 2024
What a beautiful story, I really felt for Nikki and I really disliked Jess, I had no warmth for her at all. A small beautiful Seaside town, trials and tribulations, love and heartbreak and characters that will just make your chest hurt. Veronica will take you on a heartfelt journey, I didnt want it to end. Loved it!
August 15, 2024
Enjoyable easy read set in a Cornish coastal town. Seemed quite unassuming until later on in the book. It’s a story about forgiveness and acceptance. Nikki gets unstuck and allows herself joy. Liberating and uplifting.
October 30, 2024
I have to give it 5. Cheesy, romantic, funny, tragic and intriguing. It had everything you want from a book. Shed a tear at the end too
May 25, 2024
What a fantastic and easy read! Beautifully written with such an intriguing plot of romance, mystery and revenge. It was exactly what I needed!
June 8, 2024
A lovely little beach read based in the Southwest of England. I loved the story lines but it was a little slow moving for me, and the ending seemed to drag.
July 3, 2024
Got to 82% - Couldn’t finish the book - boring and predictable - may have missed out on a brilliant twist ending but a risk I was 100% ok with taking
August 12, 2024
Another easy read - left in Charlie’s car so had to finish on the beach this evening, very apt! Enjoyable
September 10, 2024
three widowers walk into a bar
November 4, 2024
I read a book…
March 20, 2025
Couldn't put this down! Amazing book highly recommended xx
June 22, 2025
Loved it. Perfect weekend away reading.
August 24, 2025
stars hollow, schwach angefangen und stark nachgelassen ⛵️
September 24, 2024
*Family Bonds*
This was a great story and I got totally absorbed into it. Beautiful setting in a beautiful seaside town of Speedwell and a great cast of characters.
We are introduced to Nikki she has finally purchased a coastguard cottage, it is uniquely positioned close to a hidden beach that mainly the locals know about. Owning one of these cottage’s has been a dream for her and she feels at peace. The great thing is that she is very handy when it comes to d.i.y and this is a project.
There is one fly in the ointment is that she has a secret. A secret she has kept for twenty years. We see details over the course of the book being revealed but when she receives a handwritten note she panics.
She thought she was so careful and she has told only one person who she believes would never betray her.
For Nikki family is very important to her and they are all very close. We have her mother who is thinking about dating after being widowed for 20 years and is nervous at the age of 67 to start again.
She has a vivacious sister Jess who works in A&E who causes chaos and often upset wherever she goes. She has a daughter whilst Nikki has a son. They also have a brother who can barely get a word in edgeways lol 😂
This particular year is significant as it is the 20th anniversary of a tragedy that rocked the town when a terrible storm claimed seven lives. Two of those lives affected Nikki’s family.
This secret if revealed has the potential to drive a wedge through her family. The author of the note is threatening to reveal this secret at the anniversary. What is the secret? Will there be consequences? Or will Nikki jump the gun?
All in all it was a lovely summery read filled with family dramas, fun and a touch of romance
This was a great story and I got totally absorbed into it. Beautiful setting in a beautiful seaside town of Speedwell and a great cast of characters.
We are introduced to Nikki she has finally purchased a coastguard cottage, it is uniquely positioned close to a hidden beach that mainly the locals know about. Owning one of these cottage’s has been a dream for her and she feels at peace. The great thing is that she is very handy when it comes to d.i.y and this is a project.
There is one fly in the ointment is that she has a secret. A secret she has kept for twenty years. We see details over the course of the book being revealed but when she receives a handwritten note she panics.
She thought she was so careful and she has told only one person who she believes would never betray her.
For Nikki family is very important to her and they are all very close. We have her mother who is thinking about dating after being widowed for 20 years and is nervous at the age of 67 to start again.
She has a vivacious sister Jess who works in A&E who causes chaos and often upset wherever she goes. She has a daughter whilst Nikki has a son. They also have a brother who can barely get a word in edgeways lol 😂
This particular year is significant as it is the 20th anniversary of a tragedy that rocked the town when a terrible storm claimed seven lives. Two of those lives affected Nikki’s family.
This secret if revealed has the potential to drive a wedge through her family. The author of the note is threatening to reveal this secret at the anniversary. What is the secret? Will there be consequences? Or will Nikki jump the gun?
All in all it was a lovely summery read filled with family dramas, fun and a touch of romance
September 12, 2025
This book was pretty cute and enjoyable throughout and big mystery. The ending kind of let me down, I thought she’d receive more messages and I thought the secret would be better. It was all revealed right at the end and I just feel it was hyping up this big secret and someone out to get her and then just kind of fizzled away.
September 11, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book as I always do from this author. It was an easy summer read filled with love, romance, grief, family secrets and beautiful scenery slotted in.
I am a sucker for a Cornish love story and it transported me to picturesque seaside towns as I read the twists and turns of the lives of the North Family and their friends.
This book also showed the strength we can have with others through grief in a beautiful way, it made me laugh, smile and even well up a couple of times.
Anytime I see a Veronica Henry book, I pick it up as they always keep my attention!
I’m giving it 5 stars as I couldn’t find anything wrong with it!
Thumbs Up: Everything – a perfect read
Thumbs Down: Nothing I can think of.
I am a sucker for a Cornish love story and it transported me to picturesque seaside towns as I read the twists and turns of the lives of the North Family and their friends.
This book also showed the strength we can have with others through grief in a beautiful way, it made me laugh, smile and even well up a couple of times.
Anytime I see a Veronica Henry book, I pick it up as they always keep my attention!
I’m giving it 5 stars as I couldn’t find anything wrong with it!
Thumbs Up: Everything – a perfect read
Thumbs Down: Nothing I can think of.
September 18, 2024
This book really struggled to find a compelling plot to drive the narrative forward. The romances weren’t particularly interesting - I wasn’t even sure if they were going that direction until more than halfway through. The mystery was extremely predictable and I think emotions could have been better portrayed if the “secret” was explored from the beginning rather than hyping it up to be a big reveal that revealed nothing the reader didn’t already infer.
It was too “nice”, it felt like the book version of complaining about something and following it up with “but I’m fine, so happy it’s sunny today!”
I’ve given two stars instead of one because I thought grief was written about somewhat well towards the end. The book is also very easy to read through quickly.
It was too “nice”, it felt like the book version of complaining about something and following it up with “but I’m fine, so happy it’s sunny today!”
I’ve given two stars instead of one because I thought grief was written about somewhat well towards the end. The book is also very easy to read through quickly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews