Our Little Secret

Claire McMullen #1

by Rosie Goodwin

At just twenty years old, Claire McMullen is the new owner of the Seabourne Hotel. She's a mystery to everyone around her - and that's how she wants to keep it. Abused as a child and forced to sell her body to survive, Claire has built a barrier around herself that she is sure no one will ever penetrate.

But folks are curious about why such an attractive young woman would move to Blackpool to run a hotel. Where are her friends? Her family? Claire is determined to keep the truth from them all until she attracts the attention of wealthy businessman, Gregory Nightingale, and she finds her past coming back to haunt her...

Genres: Fiction, Abuse

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2008

About the author

Before becoming a writer, I was a Placement Support Worker and foster carer, and worked in the social services department after completing a teacher training course. Many children have joined my family over the years. I still live in Nuneaton, where many of my books are set, with my husband, Trevor, and our beloved dogs.

I was thrilled to discover that I'd become one of the top 250 most-borrowed library authors in the UK, and would like to thank all of you who have taken out my books over the last few years! I love meeting my readers and am always pleased to hear from you. I hope you will all continue to get in touch and please do sign up for my newsletter!

Reviews

[Maitreyi]

Either the author had a word limit that absolutely needed to be crossed or it was a 50 marks answer which needed that volume of words and sentences. Everything is repeated at least thrice.

As much as Claire's story is gut - wrenching, it ended up being a love story which is rarely the case (having worked in this field.. I would know). I am not sure if the author did any research on the matter.

[Christine Street]

Captivating

I loved this book I cried and smiled and stayed awake all night to read it and was so sad when I finished it xxxx

[Annemarie Farthing]

Oh my! I can't put enough words down to say how I feel about this book.
Every emotion possible is running through me.
I cried and cried in some parts and actually this is probably the best book I have read.
Rosie Goodwin you are brilliant, thank you for writing this book.
Every one of my heart strings has been well and truly plucked

[Karla]

A heartbreaking tale of abuse and, ultimately, survival...Claire and Tracey have grown up without a father and their mother isn't going to win any awards for 'Mother of the Year' either. But things take an appalling turn for the worse when Claire is subjected to horrendous abuse at the hands of her mother's boyfriend. Fearing that she and her sister will be separated, Claire is too terrified to tell anyone. But when he starts to abuse Tracey, the social services are brought in and the girls are taken into care. For Tracey, it's heaven - their loving foster parents provide them with a cosy, safe environment. But for Claire it's too late. Traumatised by her experiences, she goes off the rails and eventually ends up working the streets. But she's determined to make a better life for herself and becomes a high-class call-girl. And, when she's got enough money in the bank, she becomes a businesswoman. She meets Greg and, desperate to conceal her sordid background, marries him for the respectability she craves. But it seems that she can never truly escape her past...

[Carrie-Ann]

What a heart-wrenching book! A powerful gripping story of a broken child's life and how she struggles to see worth in herself in her growing years. And to think that this actually happens in real life just makes it that much harder to read. I am so glad there is a sequel as finally at the end of the book, you are left with a feeling of hope that she will discover real love and acceptance of who she is and hopefully can enjoy life and relationships...

[Gill Schell]

A sad and shocking story of abuse and its effect on one girl's life. Though the story is hard to believe in places, the will of the main character to live on and succeed comes across clearly. The end was frustrating - lots of loose threads.

[Bridget Tibble]

Brilliant

I couldn't put this book down. It was very moving and sad at times. Although the book is fiction, you can imagine a lot of it in all probability could very well be true. A great book tinread

[Patricia Hutcheon]

So realistic.

This read is without frills,very true to the horrors, and yet determination to have a better life, of this heroine.I could not put this book down,and was shocked and yet warmed to the heart by all its twists and turns.Just brilliant.

[Caitlin]

Well written!

[Frances]

An easy read and an entertaining story.

[Tango]

an amazing and it hit you in the heart i cant believe someone would do that to a little girl and the mother was fine with it i think the mother needs to grow up

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

I've read a few Rosie Goodwin books, and they always draw me in. You really feel for her characters, and I Felt so much for Claire that as soon as I finished this, I picked up the sequel!

[Jill Ooms]

A page turner and very hard to put down. It is emotional but very true to what some people have to endure in their lives.

[Phyllis]

Great. Book

Love this bookmark characters were so real every word brought this book to life. Wish there was a follow up
Would recommend

[alice booth]

Great story lines

Loved reading this book..so many different ins and outs well thought through and written from the heart would recommend it to anyone

[Lynn Chapman]

Orbiting

Could not put this book down
Made riveting reading
Had me in tears. Was sad when I had finished it

[Marion]

Excellent

Read this in one day, definitely a page turner
I cried tears of sadness and joy, one of the best books I have read in a long time, really like Rosie Goodwin

[Steph Duesbury]

Brilliant eye opening read

I read the whole book in a day, the story was so gripping, heart wrenching & well worth a read

[Garry Marlton]

Great read, Plot built so well when I got to about 85% of the book I was so angry with the man Claire was married to. I will read this book again in the future.

[Mikaela]

This book was extremely hard to read at the beginning. If you can force yourself to read through the first few horrific chapters then you won’t be disappointed.
It was truly heartbreaking at times to keep turning the pages but I still stayed up till the early hours to finish it.
Even though for me I would have liked to have read more of this story, I think it ended perfectly for Claire’s story.

[The Endless Unread]

I love this book. A delicate situation handled perfectly. Rosie Goodwin has captured all the emotions of such a traumatic event with precision and elegance. A fantastic read and one that will stay with you long after you read it. This tore my heart out and put it back together again. Hands down one of my favourite books of all-time.

[mrs g m wright]

Hard to put down

This book has a lot in it that made me feel very uncomfortable reading it but you had to carry on reading and hoping.There were lots of twists and turns and it keeps you on the edge but thank goodness it ended ok

[Caroline]

After Claire's abusive past will she find happiness, this is a very hard read as it's about a child being abused my her mothers boyfriends, but will she find happiness, and will anyone find Claire's softer side and reveal her past

[Geraldine Wadsworth]

Another great read but.....


Love this book but needed an epilogue. I needed it stated that Nikki was hers and for them to move in together and have the happy ever after with her family at the wedding
Disappointed how the book finished even though it was a good read

[Sara Mcmillan]

It's a story of a young woman. trying to forget appalling childhood abuse and make a new life for herself. could not put this book down I was sad when it came to an end as I felt they was more to tell.

[June Kirby]

Excellent story. A real page turner and so very sad

[J.J. JOHNSTONE]

Excellent

This is a book that you cannot put down. I would recommend it to everyone. Grips you in many ways.

[maggie turner]

A. a truly unforgettable story.

I couldn't put this down. I hope you write a sequel to this as it deserves to continue.
From rags to riches then on

[Janet Ford]

Yet another great book!

Her books always keep you hanging on to the very end. There's not a book of hers yet that has failed to please

[Patricia Morrison]

Wow

It's a tough read, it's very personal and detailed. A book of such extreme survival in a world of horror.