A Family Secret

Mill Valley Girls #1

by Lynne Francis

The second gripping novel from the author of Ella’s Journey, prepare to be captured by the story of Alice …

Alys’s life hasn’t quite turned out the way she thought… By now she should be married, have children and working in a career she loves. How did she end up making all the wrong choices? Escaping to Yorkshire to help out her aunt by baking cakes and cookies for her café might be just the change she needs. Only to uncover a long-buried family mystery, one that Alys can’t let go…

1890s Alice is the sole bread-winner for her family, working at the local cotton mill. She enjoys her job, until she suddenly begins to attract the wrong attention…

A beautiful and heart-breaking novel, that brings the past and present together in a gripping story of love, loss and hope.

Perfect for fans of Rosie Clarke and Tracy Rees

Genres: Historical Fiction

466 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2018

About the author

Lynne Francis grew up in East Yorkshire in the UK but studied, lived and worked in London for many years. It was while she was on a writing course in West Yorkshire that the characters and setting for The Mill Valley Girls novels came into being.
Lynne draws her inspiration from landscapes and the countryside, as well as the history of an area, and now that she has moved to east Kent she's written a series set there in the Georgian era, The Margate Maid trilogy. She has just published the dual timeline novel, The Smuggler's Secret, the first book in a new series.

Reviews

[Rajiv · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Mill Valley Girls series; however we can read it as a standalone book.

Let me start off by what I liked in the story. Firstly, I liked the shift in story-lines between the past and the present and how they are all connected to each other. It was interesting to see how Alys tries to discover what happened to Alice many years ago, given her limited resources. Also, the author does a really nice job in setting the landscape and beauty of Yorkshire and the cafes, and made me want to visit such an idyllic place.

Having said that, this book was average and not memorable. My main issue with the story is in its pacing. I found the story to be way too lengthy with a lot of unnecessary details. For instance, I did not need a constant reminder of how Alys loves fancy china cups. Nor on how she goes around town repeatedly looking for antiques.

In fact, other than the scenes where Alys tries to find out what happened to Alice, I felt Alys story very boring. Moreover, even the supporting characters like Rob, Aunt Moira and Tim etc. feel very generic and there is nothing that makes them stand out. I liked Alice’s story-line in itself and thought the booked could have focused only on her. Some of the scenes are pretty dramatic and you wonder if Alys will get together with Richard or not. Williams felt like a potential villain but we do not see much of him.

Overall “Alice’s Secret” is a somewhat charming tale, but again, I felt like the author could have easily shortened it. Like I said, my main issue with the story was in the lengthy way in which it was written, and due to this, I feel uncertain about picking up the other books in the series.

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not know in which order these should be read according to Fantastic Fiction, A Daughters Hope is the first book. I started this book and then in mist of reading it I went on to read A Daughter’s Hope first. Well I must say I enjoyed A Family Secret very much it mad me feel sad at time for poor Alice, it was a shame that Alys could not quite get to find the facts that came out in A Daughters Hope. These books are worth five stars. I am now going to read the last one of the trilogy. Lynne Francis is a new author to me and I may say I am very impressed.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book!
It's structured in parts, each having about five chapters. The parts are alternatively about Alys who lives in the modern day and Alice who lives over one hundred years before. This combines two of my passions, reading historical fiction and researching my family history.
Alys goes to a small village in Yorkshire to help her aunt out but discovers that not only do her family originate from that area but it has a hold on her too. There's a mystery surrounding her great great grandmother, Alice, whose grave she discovers in the churchyard.
Very well written, I was hooked!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book by Lynne Francis that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. I read and reviewed ‘Ella’s Journey’ last year and I really enjoyed reading it. So it was with some excitement that I was asked to take part in the blog tour for ‘Alice’s Secret’ and I eagerly opened the front cover. Well ‘Ella’s Journey’ was very good but ‘Alice’s Secret’ blows it out of the water. I absolutely flipping well loved reading it but more about that in a bit.

The main characters in this book called Alice and Alys. Alys is from the current day. She has faced some hard times and she realises that she needs a break away from everybody (particularly from her boyfriend) and everything. So she decides that she needs time to heal and she finds herself going to stay with her Aunt Moira, who is having health problems and needs help to run her café. Alys sees this as a win win situation for her. Alys takes to this new arrangement quicker than she thought that she would. Whilst she is staying with Moira, Alys finds out that her ancestor, Alice died at a young age. Alys finds this tragic and she resolves to do all she can to find out about Alice, about what happened to her and why she died so young. I really felt for Alys but at the same time I really, really felt for Alice. Her home life isn’t what it should be and she has to take on the role of main breadwinner as her mother has health problems. Alice is the eldest of her and her siblings and so a huge amount of responsibility lies on her shoulders. At times all Alice needed was a hug and to be told that things would be okay. Alice finds herself a job but comes across a nasty overseer with wandering hands, who has taken a ‘shine’ to Alice. She has to continually dodge his attentions. At the same time she is really enjoying her role at the factory because she is teaching the children, who work at the mill but after school finishes she has to work on the factory floor, which she doesn’t enjoy so much. Alice has a complicated personal life as she has fallen for somebody, who is already promised to somebody else. I don’t want to give too much away but Alice finds herself in a situation that was extremely scandalous in those days.

‘Alice’s Secret’ appealed to me on so many levels. A large part of the book is to do with family history. I found this to be particularly interesting as I have researched my own family tree and I have come across some ‘scandalous’ family skeletons. My maternal great, great grandmother was in prison in the 1860s and gave birth whilst in jail and the baby was adopted by family friends. That would be scandalous enough but she then went on to be admitted to the workhouse, where she then gave birth again, although this child wasn’t taken from her. She then lived ‘in sin’ with my great, great grandfather and it wasn’t until their last child was about 5 years old that they got married. My point of telling some of my own family history is to illustrate why I identified and empathised with Alys so much. I totally understood where Alys was coming from when she needed a period of healing away from everybody and everything as a similar thing happened to me. The characters in this book were so well described that I could almost believe that they were real and I considered them to be friends
As I alluded to above, ‘Ella’s Journey’ was good but ‘Alice’s Secret’ is even better. I became so caught up in the story that I really felt as though I was taking part so to speak. There were certainly times when I so wanted to jump into the pages to stick up for Alice and to give the overseer a piece of my mind and a slap across the chops with a wet flip flop for how he treated Alice. I became addicted to reading this book, as I needed to know what happened to Alice and Alys and whether or not they found the happiness that they both so deserved. The descriptions of Victorian Britain were so vivid that I really felt as though I had travelled back through time. By the time I had finished reading ‘Alice’s Secret’ I really felt as though I had been through the emotional wringer. I ‘felt’ everything that the characters felt and shared their feelings of joy, of sadness, of hope, of despair and well you get the picture. Reading ‘Alice’s Secret’ was a lot like riding on a rollercoaster with all the highs and lows.
In short I absolutely loved reading ‘Alice’s Secret’ and I would wholeheartedly recommend this author and her books to other readers, but particularly to those readers who enjoy reading sagas. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell completely in love with this gorgeous story by Lynne Francis, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I first went into it but the end result was a book I couldn’t put down. I will start by saying this is the second book in the trilogy however it reads as a standalone.

I absolutely adore time slip novels and this one is just beautiful. We discover the story of Alice in the 1890s and Alys in the present day – both of these characters were fabulous, I loved reading both of their stories. Alice works at the local mill in Yorkshire, hard work and very long hours when she meets a man who isn’t right for her. I loved the descriptions of the mill, it was evident that Lynne has put in a lot of research into this book to discover what it was like back then. Alys in the present day comes to Yorkshire to help her aunt after she suffers an injury. Soon Alys is captivated by the village and the stories of the local mill from over 100 years ago.

The past and present collide in more ways than one and I was quickly drawn in to both of the times. I loved the way Lynne has written it, the descriptions are beautiful and I could imagine what the villages were like back then and also now in the present. It was evident throughout the book that Lynne has vast knowledge of Yorkshire that she drew upon throughout this read. I also loved the way Lynne separated the two stories – it was easy to follow and I got sucked in to the whole book. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough by the end as I wanted to know what was happening.

I really felt a part of what was going on, at times my heart was breaking especially when learning about conditons in the 1890s. I must admit I haven’t read many books from that era but I loved it, I will definitely look out for more books in this time period.

Alice’s Secret is an excellent addition to the saga family – it’s a real journey through some hard times that is also full of love and hope. I loved it and I’m excited to read the next book in the series.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read the first book in this series but really enjoyed it as a standalone novel.

I really enjoyed how the story was set in the past and present day - I love a well written time slip novel and this was very well written. I was absorbed in both Alys and Alice's stories and I was drawn into the story right from the start. Beautifully written, the research the author has put into the book clearly shines through.

I can't wait to read the first book in the series and look forward to book 3!

Highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sally Coles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice is a young girl in the 1890s working in a cotton mill in Yorkshire when she attracts the attention of an unsuitable man. Alys is at a crossroads in her life when she goes home to Yorkshire to help her Aunt in the bakery and while there she becomes fascinated by the story of her great great grandmother Alice and all the old family secrets.

A very enjoyable book I always like stories with two timelines and this one worked very well and the author had obviously done a lot of research on the cotton mills and how the workers would live in this time

[Carol Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it 3 stars but 2.5 would be more my true opinion. Why is there no button for Tweenies??

Alice’s secret.
I felt that this book was always meant to be a bigger book. The story and exploration of the characters seemed to have been condensed! many things went unexplained.
The cakes were over focused on, I mean, we know without being told over and over again which is The favourite Cake!!! You’d better read this book if you’re into excess food descriptions :)
It could have been great but it was just another ok book.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me butterflies!

This book is based on dual timelines, following modern Alys and the pasts Alice. We look at both of their lives and it's hard not to fall in love with certain characters.

Alys and her modern setting had me wanting to move to Yorkshire to open my own cake cafe. Alice pulled at my heartstrings.

I rarely read romance-fluff books, however this definitely made me want to read more!

[Sheila Nutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Attention to detail

Really enjoying getting to know these characters with all the unexpected twists and turns life throws at them all. The author sets the scenes beautifully through time, whether it is the beauty and magnificence of rural West Yorkshire or the streets of York. A hugely enjoyable read.

[Abbey Bennacer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book!!

Really enjoy stories where they go back in time, in this case it was 1890.
Alys is looking into her ancestor Alice’s past and the story goes back and forth between both lives.
Interesting to read about how life was back then.

Enjoyed the ending and like Alys and Robs relationship.

[Jennifer Bibby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant dual time line read.

[Gloria Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

A ok story some very sad parts but also a happy ending

[Alice Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, especially how the two Alice’s linked over a decade.

[Mrs Margaret Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Good Book

I enjoyed reading this book . It was a interesting story. I will now have to find something else. Good Author

[Casey Regtien · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the historical parts of this book the most. I felt the modern parts seemed slightly out of place and unnecessary

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't you just hate it when you buy a book then find out there are others in the series before it!!!
Still going to read it though and see how it goes, maybe you can read it as a stand alone.

I am glad to say I really enjoyed this book and reading it out of sequence didn't spoil the story at all so you can read it as a stand alone. Will definitely look out for further books by this author.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice’s Secret by Lynne Francis is the second book in the Mill Valley Girls series. Alys is looking for a chance to get away and gets the opportunity when her Aunt Moira injures herself. Aunt Moira needs Alys to bake the items for her café in Yorkshire while she is laid up. Soon Alys has rediscovered her love of baking and enjoys the café, the town and the people. She slowly begins tweaking the recipes and enhancing the décor of The Celestial Cake Café. One day Alys is in the local graveyard and discovers the headstone of Alice Bancroft. She learns that Alice is her great-great grandmother and that she died when she was twenty years old. Alys wonders why her ancestor died at such a young age and delves into her family’s history. What secrets will Alys uncover?

Alice’s Secret is a dual timeline novel that alternates between Alys in the present day and Alice in 1893. I enjoyed the historical sections more than those set in the present day. There are lovely descriptions of the Yorkshire countryside that brought the area alive for me. I could tell that the author did her research on cotton mills and how the workers lived during that time-period. The author could be overly detailed at times which led to a slow pace. I would have liked the characters to be more developed and there were details missing (such as characters last names). Alice’s Secret did not feel like a completed novel. The book could have used a rewrite and editing (it was too long). Before embarking on Alice’s Secret, you do need to read Ella’s Journey. It lays the groundwork for Alice’s Secret. My rating for Alice’s Secret is 3 out of 5 stars.