When I go on holiday I try and find at least one book to read that is set in the place I will be visiting so I was really pleased to not only find that Secrets is set in Saltburn-by-the-Sea but that it's also by an author whose books I have enjoyed in the past. The author's love for the town really shines through. Secrets is the story of Tess, a young mother who flees her home in London for a house-sitting role in Saltburn on the North Yorkshire coast. The house belongs to Joe, a man who goes away a lot for his job and he needs someone to look after not only his home but also his huge dog, Wolf. Initially Tess and Joe seem to wind each other up but they soon get to know each other and they find something special between them. I thought this was a lovely read. As you might guess by the title, Tess and Joe each have their secrets and there's a (mostly) gentle unburdening as the story goes on. It's sometimes a bit explosive too because the realisation of a secret kept can often seem like a betrayal. I seem to be drawn to books where the characters just go about their normal lives and that is what Tess has to do while Joe is away. I enjoyed her trips into Saltburn, discovering the pier, the cliff lift and the seafront, along with the hills that she pushes her daughter's buggy up and down. I also enjoyed the new friendships she made and the sense of a community. Secrets is an easy to read book but covers emotions and feelings in some depth too. I felt very satisfied when I reached the end.

This is the first book of Freya North that I have read and I am ready to read another of hers. Absolutely loved this from start to finish. :)

this book for me was not as good as all the rest of Freya's books that I have read.

i read this book on holiday, it was my mums so i wasn't expecting much from it and unfortunately i was right. The story seems to be very typical and in some respects unrealistic. The 'secrets' are not so interesting as we are led to believe and it turns out to be just another one of books which should be lost in the sea off the village it is set in. However if you are looking for an easy book this is exactly that.