The Secret To Happiness

Welcome To Whitsborough Bay #5

by Jessica Redland

*The Top 10 Bestseller*
Everyone deserves a chance at happiness...
Danniella is running from her past, so when she arrives at the beautiful seaside resort of Whitsborough Bay, the last thing on her mind is making friends. After all, they might find out her secrets…

Alison is fun, caring and doesn't take herself too seriously. But beneath the front, she is a lost soul, stuck in a terrible relationship, with body confidence issues and no family to support her. All she really needs is a friend.

Karen's romance has taken a back seat to her fitness business. But she doesn’t want to give up on love quite yet. If only those mysterious texts would stop coming through …

When the women meet at their local bootcamp, a deep friendship blossoms. And soon they realise that the secret to happiness is where they least expected to find it…

An uplifting story of friendship and finding the strength to come to terms with the past. Perfect for fans of Tilly Tennant and Cathy Bramley. 

What readers are saying about The Secret To Happiness: 'An emotional but uplifting page turner. The Secret to Happiness is a beautiful story of friendship and love' Fay Keenan
'I loved how realistic and flawed the characters were, no perfect people, just honest characters with real problems.'

'Easily Jessica Redland's best novel so far. The amount of heart and depth that has gone into it is astounding.' 

'This is a story that will have you enthralled from the start to the end with its many twists and turns. Jessica has the knack of drawing you into her "heroines". She always includes some humour in her books but wow, does she know how to bring you to tears as well.' 

'Reading this book is the secret to happiness. Wow!' 

'Loved the characters and didn't want it to end.'

Genres: Audiobook, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Friendship, British Literature

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2019

About the author

I was born in Teesside but now live in Scarborough on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast. My home inspired the creation of the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay where I set many of my books although the Hedgehog Hollow series takes readers to a gorgeous new countryside setting in the Yorkshire Wolds.

I live with my husband, our teenage daughter and sprocker spaniel, Ella. I'm a self-confessed stationery addict with a ridiculously large collection of notepads who loves chocolate (although it doesn't love me), hedgehogs, 80s music, collectible teddy bears and lighthouses.

Other than a career detour into retail to set up and run my own teddy bear shop (the inspiration for novel Bear With Me), I've always worked in HR, specialising in resourcing, coaching and L&D. Writing always had to take a back seat to the day job until June 2020 when I left the world of HR to become a full-time author. I'm so very grateful to anyone who has bought or borrowed my books in whatever format, helping me fulfil a long-held dream of writing full-time. I still can't believe I get to spend every day chatting to my fictional friends and making stuff up.

Reviews

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily Jessica Redland's best novel so far. The amount of heart and depth that has gone into it is astounding.

For those who have read the author before there are some familiar places and people cropping up, but it is 100% a standalone novel featuring 3 brand new leading ladies.

Karen, Alison and Danniella, what an inspirational group you are. They all start the book without knowing each other, and all having problems in their lives.

It is their combined new friendship that gives them the strength to overcome old demons.

There are plenty of secrets to discover, emotional topics dealt with and so much more besides.

It is clear a lot of research must have gone into this novel especially for Danniella's story line. At times I was smiling and at others I had a lump in my throat.

Beautiful writing and another amazing book from this incredibly talented author.

Thank you to Boldwood Books on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica Redland has done it again, written a book of emotions in a superlative manner which had me smiling with a hint of tears glinting in my eyes. The emotions this book evoked showed me why I adore this author.

This story was the perfect soothing balm for the weary soul when life got overwhelming. Every word written by Jessica had the power to heal me from the inside out. The story bespoke of hope and joy amidst pain and heartbreak and laid the spotlight firmly on strength in friendships.

3 women, strangers in the beginning with insurmountable problems in their life, slowly gravitated toward each other in the boot camp and found support in each other. Nary a bond has ever been formed so strong in a book. Secrets and emotions brought the quickening of the pace and gave it a delicious twist. Dark days with some difficult decisions found its place in my heart as I too have faced them.

The characters felt real, as if I knew them and they knew me. The emotions felt honest as if they were written with those in my heart. Inspiring and heart-warming were the two words that came to me as I reached the last page in this oh so absolutely delightful book.

I can honestly say

I loved the book and it loved me back, more than I could have ever hoped.

[Paola · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Alison is fun, caring and doesn't take herself too seriously. But beneath the front, she is a lost soul, stuck in a terrible relationship, with body confidence issues and no family to support her. All she really needs is a friend."

First of all Allison is not fun, she does take herself seriously, they only true thing is that she is caring, almost to a fault. She is lost and she is in a terrible relationship, she's not stuck though, she can leave whenever she wants, she just doesn't because she has no family support because they're all dead. She has friends that are willing to help her out and guide her to healthier choices and she agrees, but right after he loser boyfriend insults her, she pigs out too cope. I would contend that if she had any self-esteem she would have left her loser boyfriend long ago. He emotionally abuses her and because she feels like he's the only person she has left she stays with him. It's not until she joins a bootcamp and starts losing weight that she gains some self confidence that she begins to question herself about staying with him. What's even more frustrating about Allison is that she likely would've stayed with him and possibly married him if she hadn't seen a picture of him on Facebook having sex with another woman. Of the three main characters I felt she was the hardest to root for.

"Karen's romance has taken a back seat to her fitness business. But she doesn’t want to give up on love quite yet. If only those mysterious texts would stop coming through…"

Her romance hasn't taken a back seat to her fitness business, they've been in business for years and have been happy the entire time. It's not until her fiance starts hiding things from her and being shady that their relationship is on the rocks. There are so many red flags and she refuses to see them. Also, why would she give up on love because of the failures of her partner? She was invested in their relationship, she tried numerous times to talk to him about it, she planned romantic surprises, she ran ideas by him and he shut her down. He was the one that did things behind her back concerning their business and their relationship. He also didn't even try to make things better until after he'd already cheated on her, with his best friends girlfriend! Ryan was a total creep and losing his home and his business was just the tip of what he deserved. The fact that he ended up with stalker Sophie who was obsessed with Karen and Karen's life is hilarious. She is going to be the girlfriend from hell. I did like that Karen stood up for herself and didn't let Ryan blame her for his cheating and his shortcommings. He tried gaslighting her and she was having none of it. She made a decision, it hurt, but she follwed through. Unlike Allison who would've settled because she didn't like change.

"Danniella is running from her past, so when she arrives at the beautiful seaside resort of Whitsborough Bay, the last thing on her mind is making friends. After all, they might find out her secrets…"

Danniella's story was the best one of the three. You could feel the anxiety and pain she was going through. You never were really sure what it was about until she finally reveals her secret. At first you think it's the bulimia but it is so much deeper and so much more painful. Her story was, IMO, the most well thought out and realistic of the three. Her story truly had an arc. Her ending was actually a new beginning and it was the best possible outcome for her. Honestly, if this whole book had been just about her, I would've been ok with it.

The way they all because friends so quickly was a bit unrealistic. I guess I felt that Allison and Danniella were actual friends whereas Karen's more of an acquaintance of theirs. The ending was a bit rushed. All of a sudden Allison has quit her job and going to travel with her new boyfriend? OK...
Karen is in love with Jay after knowing him all of a few weeks and seeing him once a week? Come on...and when did she fall in love with him? It was just bam there it is. She was with Ryan for 13 years and yeah that ended badly but her and Jay falling in love and saying they were in love was so rushed and unrealistic. Danniella taking her time to recover and keep in contact with her husband to process her own feelings was the only believable ending.

I don't feel like it's the best thing Jessica Redland has ever written, there are a whole host of books that she's written that are better. I didn't really like it and I for sure didn't love it. The longer I sat on this review the more I realized I didn't like it as much as I thought.

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*The Meaning of Love*

This is a tale predominantly about 3 women

Danniella
She is running from a devastating tragedy, something that she can never take back. As a consequence she has what she calls “food demons” which are something she is struggling to keep control of and panic attacks. She has never dealt with the trauma and tragedy she experienced. Now she is in a new place and is in desperate need of a friend

Alison
She is a lovely and caring person, always puts herself last and has a family tragedy in her past and her partner is someone she has hung onto and the only family she knows. The trouble is she is covering behind a facade, she has body confidence issues, with a partner who calls her a chubba but the one thing she needs is a friend.

Karen
She in into fitness and her partner is the same. They set up a business with his best friend Stephanie. All is going well until their relationship takes a back seat and work has taken over. Out of the blue Karen is receiving anonymous texts, trouble is the person knows her name and a lot about her life and she is worried she has a stalker

All three women need a friend in different ways, when they meet at the Bootcamp that Karen runs, they all find that the secret to happiness happens in the most unexpected way

This story is set in the fictional setting of Whitsborough Bay. There are tears, laughter, tragedy, horrendous betrayal, deceit and above all friendship plays a huge factor

[Mahayana Dugast · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a feel good book, about three friends who support each other (the secret to happiness is friendship!) through hard times.
The book treats serious issues of horrendous grief and guilt, comfort eating and being overweight, emotional abuse and bullying, all of which get resolved or healed.
This is nicely written and entertaining with real life-like, engaging characters. I enjoyed it very much.(this book is a best seller right now on Amazon!)

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite sure why this book is so highly rated, and I admit it was one of the reasons I gave it a go. The writing was sometimes spot on, but there is just some meat missing from it. I feel it could have been so much better, maybe a deeper dive into the characters. Just sort of fell flat to me.

[Erika Reynolds · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every woman in this story is the biggest doormat who lets men treat her like total crap. I was hopeful that the friendship between the women would blossom in a way that they would learn to be happy on their own and enjoy life as single friends, but that didn’t happen. The writing and story isn’t terrible, but the characters are the worst.

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so full of emotion. It follows 3 women through greif, love, heart ache, friendship all searching for one common thing, the secret to their happiness.

Allison, lost her mother, father brother and sister in a horrible accident when she was 12. Its now 15 years later and her mentality abusive boyfriend Dave forgot the anniversary. He didn't just forget the anniversary he's going away on a guys trip and berating Allison about her weight. Growing up without a family has been hard and Allison knows she's found comfort in food but with the help of some new found friends she's joining a bootcamp and reevaluating her life with Dave.

Karen runs a fitness business with her fiance Ryan and his best friend Steff. Everything seems great her bootcamps are becoming a big hit and she's never been happier when being a personal trainer. Her fiance starts averting strange even Steff agrees. Her fiance's drinking, disappearing and sneaking around reach an all time high around the time Karen starts getting weird texts from a stranger who seems to be stalking her and claims to know what's going on with Ryan.

Daniella new to town holds her secrets close. She suddenly disappears and ceases all contact with her new friends. They become worried and find her in a pile of blood passed out in her bathroom. After get short stay in the hospital Danniella comes clean about her past and what really brought her to Whitsborough.

Will these ladies be able to deal with all that has been thrown at them throughout their lives?

A huge thank you top boldwoodbooks and netgalley for a copy in exchange for a review

[Trudes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually don't abandon books so far in but I had 5 hours left of the audiobook and lost interest. I thought the characters were good and like where the author was coming from but there's so much meandering and repetition that the book felt as if it were stalling.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first it was a little hard to keep the characters straight - but once I had them straight I really enjoyed this book. There are a lot of heavy topics. I liked the friendships formed and how the girls supported each other.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very uplifting and feel good (surprisingly good for the Beach Trash genre, if a little cheesy!)

[Foxy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to read, maybe because i read the book after a fast paced book. the writer went with a mellow storyline which circles around the grief and pain of women who have been shamed for their body sizes. They have been through the most and still go through the most but their friendship and the bootcamp they find inner peace and regain themselves as confident women.

I would recommend this book for someone who needs to see that there is light at the end of a tunnel. listened to the audio version and the narrator really did not do it much justice as at times the tones were a bit misplaced.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
The Secret To Happiness centres on three very different women with completely different lives—Alison, Karen and Daniella. They are strangers…until their paths cross, and what develops is an incredible bond of friendship and support.

Alison, Daniella and Karen are all dealing with personal problems. Alison’s life changed dramatically when she was twelve and it’s impacted on her ever since. She has issues with self image and a lack of confidence, not helped by her boyfriend Dave’s grumpiness, total lack of empathy and compassion. She hides her pain, makes light of things to her workmates and people she knows and comfort eats, allowing herself to be treated badly by Dave because she has no-one else to turn to. Until she meets Daniella and Karen and admits to herself how she really feels.

"She could fill in the rest of the sentence for him. No wonder you’re so fat. No wonder you keep ordering bigger uniforms. No wonder the stairs leave you breathless. No wonder we never have sex. She surveyed the plateful of pastries, the full-fat butter, the luxury jam, her third giant mug of milky, sugary tea. All for one person. Yes. No wonder."

Daniella is running from a fairly recent trauma, moving from place to place, B&B to B&B, unable to let anyone get close in case there were questions asked she couldn’t face. Certainly not now, and possibly never. Then, finding herself in Whitsborough Bay, she decides to rent for more privacy, hoping she might have found her haven. The last thing she thought she wanted or needed was a friend.

Karen has been engaged to Ryan for five years but developing their PT and fitness business seems to be dividing them, rather than cementing their relationship. Then the anonymous texts start landing in Karen’s messages.

I really enjoyed The Secret To Happiness, the way the three women were drawn to each other and strong friendships were formed. The characters are wonderfully developed as each of their stories unfold. They learn to overcome the sadnesses in their pasts and move on, supporting each other even when they can’t see past their own bleak futures.

The story has darker undertones, challenges and emotional upheavals, which are thoughtfully handled. To counteract those issues are the lighter, humorous moments during the interactions of the three women, which were a joy to read. A mystery thread added another layer and kept me guessing.

Alison, Daniella and Karen are all relatable and realistic, with flaws most people would recognise. The narrative encompasses themes and emotions relating to grief, emotional bullying, food related disorders and betrayal among others, eliciting empathy for the characters. Jessica Redland has created a well written, easy to read, poignant yet wonderfully uplifting story.

Although The Secret To Happiness is part of a series, I had no trouble reading it as a stand alone.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always so enjoyed Jessica Redland’s writing, but this one… I must say it was everything I hoped it would be, but also so much more than that. Her other books have had a single character as their focus – lots of themes and side stories, but only one real heroine at their centre. This one’s much more ambitious, with three women at its heart, and a story that’s told from three points of view – that’s a complexity not seen in her earlier books, but she carries it off quite magnificently.

I have an almost irresistible urge to tell you the whole story, and all about those parts when I felt angry or upset or joyously happy – but it’s ok, I’m not going to. I’d like to tell you about some of the male characters too, all really well drawn, who often turned out to be something of a disappointment to the women in their lives (although there were others I wanted to hug) – and again, I won’t. (But I really have to mention Dave, an unredeemable selfish git who made me want to kick him where it hurts on a few occasions…).

But instead I’ll just tell you that the author has created three quite wonderful central female characters, all with issues in their presents, real sadness in their pasts, all uncertain what their futures may hold, all facing a struggle when their personal happy endings look quite impossible.

I loved Alison from the very beginning, and hurt for her: Karen with her professional and efficient veneer took a little longer, and Danniella’s secrets made her intriguing but initially more difficult to understand. By the book’s close, I loved them all unconditionally: the powerful friendship that develops between them is so well drawn, with their support for each other as they try to find themselves, and work out what will bring them the happiness they all deserve.

There are quite a few serious themes and darker edges in this book, all sensitively handled: there’s an intriguing central mystery in Karen’s stalker storyline, well worked through and keeping you guessing ( I was wrong!), and a nicely done bit of hidden history that shapes Danniella’s life and actions. There are tears at times, but there’s also plenty of joy and laughter, the wonderfully created Whitsborough Bay backdrop, and that beautiful warmth that always distinguishes the author’s excellent writing.

This was a very special book indeed… and I absolutely loved it.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believe it or not, this is my first Jessica Redland book. I am not sure what took me so long to read one of her books, but I am glad I finally did. I will now be working my way through her backlist. This is the story of three women, Alison, Daniella, and Karen. Each of them is at a crossroads in their life. They have issues with their jobs, their spouse or their heart and need to make some serious decisions to move forward towards happiness. Some is recent, some is from baggage that they have carried for awhile, but finding each other helps them to heal.

I was pulled into this story from the beginning. At first, I thought this is just going to be another chick-lit story, but the more I got into it, I realized there was so much more. This book is full of issues that women face. There is infidelity, emotional abuse, lying, trust, mental health issues and forgiveness both self and of others. Each woman had a different issue, but what they all needed was someone to confide in, someone to encourage them and accept them. This is a book of friendship. A book showing that even the strongest feelings of worthlessness can be changed with acceptance and forgiveness. The writing was beautiful and had my emotions all over the place. These characters came to life for me and I was so happy to see them overcome their issues to find their own happiness. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a story about women.

[Lyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The Secret to Happiness is the story of three women Karen, Alison and Danniella who become best friends through a bootcamp, run by Karen, the gym owner.
I loved the three women. They were very supportive and helpful to each other as they went through their ordeals. Sometimes, all you need is good girlfriends to use as a sounding board. A common denominator for two of the ladies, was food. For Allison, when you felt miserable, eat. For Daniella the turmoil manifested itself in bulimia. A common denominator for Alison and Karen, was men. They treated them with no respect, took them for granted and lied.
This if my first Jessica Redland book. She wrote a wonderful story, full of warmth and love rather than the aggressive way women can treat each other. The three women found support and encouragement in each other, learned to be more confident and developed the ability to love themselves. They were able to find happiness.
A very uplifting book.

[Hannah Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

First book I’ve read in 2021 and what a way to start . Such a lovely true to life story , characters felt alive I actually felt apart of the boot camp . The story line was very surreal , I think somewhere in life we all experience what each lady ho through . I don’t want to spoil any of the book , but I read it in 2 days , never once got bored or lost interested , light easy enjoyable read. Perfect for lockdown winter days .

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audible, and although I didn't enjoy the narration, the story was pleasant and made tedious car journeys bearable. Three women who meet and become firm friends, supporting each other through different emotional episodes of their life. The character of each person was described in a beautifully engaging manner, and as a reader you do want a positive outcome for each lady.

[Laura Hodgkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorging on Redland’s Whitsborough Bay romance series right now! Is there anything quite so escapist? Sheer lovely perfection ❤️

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit slow paced, but that was not the issue. The fact that a child dies of negligence and everyone tries to ignore that and call it an accident is horrible.
Everyone seems to end every message they send with 'kiss kiss', which will now forever make my skin crawl after hearing it 100000 times.
At one point, Alison, one of the main characters, is sad her boyfriend did not cheat on her earlier, as she could have been with another man. That man in turn, after finding put she has been cheated on by her boyfriend, proceedes to say 'sorry, not sorry', as he wanted her for himself.
Just wrong on so so many levels.
Giving it 2 starts only because i ve read worse.

[Leah Hoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet book on friendship and forgiveness.

[Julier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sappy is the word that comes to my mind: "overly sweet or sentimental"

Like a Hallmark movie, if that is what you're looking for.

[Karen Mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

How have I let this author pass me by?! My first Jessica Redland book but definitely not my last and I'm already looking forward to catching up with the others she has written if this one is anything to go by! I found myself totally swept up in the lives of these women - cheering on their achievements, despairing with them at the down moments in their lives, and just wanting to meet up with them all and sharing a drink or two!

This is a book about 3 women - Karen, Alison and Daniella - who live very different lives but are brought together as only fate can determine and soon find themselves supporting one another in more ways they can ever imagine.

Alison is feeling trapped in her life with Dave - he was there for her at the beginning when she needed him, but now he's constantly on at her about her weight (I have to admit to wanting her to thump him on more than one occasion!!) and taking her for granted. So she comfort eats to stop feeling so bad - and so the cycle of hate and pity continues. But one day she finds herself helping a jogger who has fallen over, and this new friendship spurs her on to make changes in her life.

The jogger she helps is Daniella - a very guarded woman who is hiding something but she's not opening up to anyone - when she does eventually find the strength to talk about her past your heart just breaks for her.

And then there's Karen - running a PT business with her other half, Ryan - she seemingly has it all, but there are cracks beginning to show and she's another woman with a tragic past and the support of her new friends Alison and Daniella is a great comfort to her when she seems to attract a stalker and the walls start tumbling down around her.

I loved the support network on show in this story! The way the women were all there for one another - there was no judging, they were just there to cheer one another on and to lean on when needed. I did find myself getting a little infuriated by some of the decisions the women were making , but the more you found out about their pasts then the more it became clear why they were so willing to make certain moves.

None of the women were perfect and it was good to see them in real life situations and dealing with things in ways the reader could relate to and I found myself outraged and delighted in equal measures as certain situations played out! A proper uplifting read!!

[Pam Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this latest visit to Whitsborough Bay, we follow the stories of three women who all meet through the Bootcamp and who all have different reasons for being part of it. Their three stories are interwoven and they become firm friends and a support to each other. On the way, there are some surprising developments and you find out about their past and what is happening at the moments in their lives.

This is a warm, inclusive story with some emotional parts which take you unawares. Friendship plays a huge part in it and there is an amount of heartbreak as well. Beneath the surface there are some dark issues which have been well researched but which are character driven. The female characters are all likeable, which is more than can be said for some of the male ones, who really tested my patience. Well observed writing and a warm tone make this my favourite Jessica Redland novel, so far.

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

[Yova Kemenchedjieva · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book reads like a novelisation of a soap opera. With unlikely situations, unlikely character choices etc. I came looking for an "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" kind of uplifting but also clever read and this was definitely not it. I didn't make it past 75% of the book or so and I'm sure in the end they all get their happy ending but at this point I couldn't care less about these soap stars.

Also, what's with the repeated motives? I get how *subtle* repetition can add to the cohesiveness of the narrative, but this is just crazy... Two main and one secondary character have lost someone in a car crash , two main characters have a love interest other than their partners , two of the main characters have an eating disorder , though weirdly that aspects gets dropped completely for one of them half way through the book.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is more “chick lit” than romance genre. The term “chick lit” is so sexist to start out with. Unfortunately, very few parts of this book would pass the Bechdel test. Nearly every passage and conversation in this book revolves around 1. a really bad relationship coupled with fat abuse, 2. a mysteriously rocky relationship coupled with fitness obsession, and 3. an even more mysterious escape from a relationship coupled with eating disorder/s. 2.5 stars

[Tonya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doormats pretending to be women allow men to dictate every aspect of their emotions and lives. They even teach them the secrets to life and happiness while they help each other get fit! Yay! Throw in a poorly researched eating disorder, slap some fake GiRl PoWeR vIBeS and you’ve got yourself a book!

I normally LOVE these types of books, heavens know I need the stress relief and they make me happy. This book just pissed me off.

[Stephanie Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging, feel-good story which brings together three women who support and encourage each other to find happiness in their lives. It’s not an easy road with relationship problems and confidence issues, but the way the author describes their conversations and actions makes this a very satisfying read.

[Terri McDowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved getting to know the female characters and watch their friendship grow. The author did a really great job of storytelling to intertwine each woman’s very different story. The book brought me to tears near the end. That’s always going to get 5 stars from me.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Great story of friendship, relationships & life