One Last Secret - Adele Parks (HQ)

 

One Last Secret - Adele Parks
Published 7 July 2022 - HQ

Everyone has secrets, don’t they?
One last client A week at a beautiful chateau in the south of France—it should be a straightforward final job for Dora. She’s a smart, stunning and discreet escort, and Daniel has paid for her services before. This time, all she has to do is to convince the assembled guests that she is his girlfriend. Dora is used to playing roles and being whatever men want her to be. It’s all about putting on a front. One last chance It will be a last, luxurious look at how the other half lives before Dora turns her back on the escort world and all its dangers. She has found someone she loves and trusts. With him, she can escape the life she’s trapped in. But when Dora arrives at the chateau, it quickly becomes obvious that nothing is what it seems…One last secret Dora finds herself face-to-face with a man she has never forgotten, the one man who really knows her. And as old secrets surface, it becomes terrifyingly apparent that one last secret could cost Dora her life…

From the Sunday Times number one bestseller Adele Parks comes a blisteringly provocative novel about power, sex, money and revenge.

My Review:

There are certain expectations I’ve come to have with each new book by Adele Parks; that it will bring drama and tension; that things will not always be just as they seem and that I will not be able to put it down as I will be so engrossed in the story. One Last Secret did not fail to meet these expectations.

By the end of the first page I was hooked. This is a book where the tension builds as we go, we grow to know Dora, understanding her situation and what makes her tick. As we progress into the story there is suspense, drama, twists and turns that will keep you guessing – well mostly. You may figure some parts of this story out but you’ll still find yourself surprised along the way.

Primarily told from Dora’s viewpoint (with a few exceptions) we get to be drawn into her world, maybe changing initial opinions of what she does when we finally find out more about her life. By looking at her past we also get the depth of character we really need to fully support her.

Taking on one last ‘job’ leads Dora into the path of danger, and it’s only a matter of time before events take a dark and sinister turn. Parks writes this wonderfully, creating an almost claustrophobic atmosphere, where Dora seems without options with time running out.

Engaging, dark and atmospheric, I think this is yet another hit from Adele Parks. I highly recommend One Last Secret. Thank you for HQ for the opportunity to read and review.

Available to purchase - HERE

Both of You - Adele Parks

 

Leigh Fletcher: happily married stepmum to two gorgeous boys goes missing on Monday. Her husband Mark says he knows nothing of her whereabouts. She simply went to work and just never came home. Their family is shattered.

Kai Janssen: married to wealthy Dutch businessman, Daan, vanishes the same week. Kai left their luxurious penthouse and glamourous world without a backward glance. She seemingly evaporated into thin air. Daan is distraught.

DC Clements knows that people disappear all the time – far too frequently. Most run away from things, some run towards, others are taken but find their way back. A sad few never return. These two women are from very different worlds, their disappearances are unlikely to be connected. And yet, at a gut level, the DC believes they are.

How could these women walk away from their families, husbands and homes willingly? Clements is determined to unearth the truth, no matter how shocking and devastating it may be.

My Review:

I want to rave all about this incredible book, to do so I have to be very careful about how much I say. I do not want to give away any vital clues or spoilers because the intrigue adds to the anticipation and thrilling climax.

Adele Parks is one of my ‘go to’ authors. Never failing to have me on the edge of my seat and fully immersed in the world she creates. I think this is possibly my favourite of hers (hard to choose when they are all so good though isn’t it!)

There are subtle references to the start of the pandemic (the story is set at that time) but they are delicately and cleverly interweaved although have no bearing on the story itself. I didn’t mind it one bit, in fact I was quite impressed and thought it added some interesting context to how the characters were acting/having to behave etc.

I was quite surprised by the plot twists in Both of You, happily so although I had vague ideas about what was happening and who was involved, the clues are there. Red herrings along the way may provide some interesting misdirection though, and credible culprits.

I couldn’t put this down; I was hooked after the first few chapters. Seeing events unfold from different viewpoints created an interest in all characters, and a growing dislike for surprising people.

Early surprises and clever twists will leave you excited and invested; you’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to devour this thrilling read. Another smasher from Adele Parks. 

Available to order HERE

Just My Luck - Adele Parks

It's the stuff dreams are made of - a lottery win so big, it changes everything.

For fifteen years, Lexi and Jake have played the same six numbers with their friends, the Pearsons and the Heathcotes. Over dinner parties, fish & chip suppers and summer barbecues, they've discussed the important stuff - the kids, marriages, jobs and houses - and they've laughed off their disappointment when they failed to win anything more than a tenner.

But then, one Saturday night, the unthinkable happens. There's a rift in the group. Someone doesn't tell the truth. And soon after, six numbers come up which change everything forever.

Lexi and Jake have a ticket worth £18 million. And their friends are determined to claim a share of it.

Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks returns with a riveting look at the dark side of wealth in this gripping take on friendship, money and betrayal, and good luck gone bad...

My Review:

They say, ‘be careful what you wish for’ and this book encapsulates that perfectly. This twisted tale of greed and betrayal will have you on the edge of your seat, highlighting the appalling lows that some people would stoop to because of greed.

You would thinking hitting the jackpot would bring you endless happiness and you wouldn’t have to worry about a thing ever again – how wrong this can be,

Full of backstabbing, this group of characters are willing to pay each other off, lie, cheat and steal to get their hands on what they believe is rightly theirs; years of friendship and loyalty goes out the window and leaves some wondering who they can actually trust anymore. I enjoyed how it made you think, asking yourself those moral questions that if you were in this position how you would cope.

I liked Lexi; she is calm, not wanting to be extravagant and mindful of others. She wants to use the money to help others, selfless and not at all greedy unlike those around her who get carried away very quickly. Jake seems to change for the worse instantly, flashing the cash and showing off.

There is so much to this story, I had some ideas of what could happen as I read through, but I wasn’t expecting the darker twists along the way, with some dramatic, emotional scenes.

As with all of Adele Parks’ books the writing keeps you engaged, it’s full of emotion with characters you feel strongly about. I think at times you get swept away with the lavish lifestyle that the money can create, so the inclusion of Toma and his story balances perfectly. He is suffering, handling loss and grief, desperate to find justice for his wife and child.

A surprisingly dark tale spun from what many may dream to be the best moment of their lives. I recommend this one completely. An Adele Parks fan, I never fail to enjoy her writing, this is her 20^th book in 20 years – an amazing achievement and testament to her storytelling skills. I look forward to what will come next.

I invited her in - Adele Parks

Available here on Amazon 

Mel hears from a long-lost friend out of the blue; they are in need of help and so lovely Mel  doesn’t hesitate to invite her to stay. Mel and Abi were best friends at Uni, sharing the highs and lows of student life until Mel’s unplanned pregnancy made her drop out .
Seventeen years later, Mel and Abi’s lives couldn’t be more different. Mel is happily married and has a chaotic but happy family home, with three children. Abi married and moved to LA for a glamourous life of celebrity. Everything was perfect, until she discovered her partner had been cheating. Abi needs a true friend to lean on, to share her grief over a glass of wine, and to have some time to heal. Thinking of her dear old friend Mel, she realises there would be no better place to heal than in a family home. 'I invited her in' is a dark tale of the reunion of long-lost friends and is a gripping exploration of wanting what you can’t have, jealousy and revenge. 

This story is predominantly told from Mel’s point of view with occasional chapters focusing on other characters. I enjoyed seeing certain parts from another characters perspective, I think it definitely adds something extra to the story - you get a more well rounded view of events - for good or bad. 

The story line for this book is a good idea, its definitely full of little twists and turns - some may be a little predictable but you are still caught off guard at times - some events in this book are not at all what I imagined.  It isn't always a fault of the writer that we can predict some of the story, all book lovers read enough to be able to do it - the twists that you don't necessarily coming in 'I invited her in' are gripping and well placed. 

It took a few chapters for it to really get going but once it did I was committed in seeing what exactly what happening.I was well and truly invested in finding out exactly what Abi was planning to do and how Mel fit into her scheming.

I thought the characters were good, if frustrating. Mel did come across as a bit of a damp squib in many ways, a bit pathetic - she is very easily led by Abi - for a 'friend' she hadn't seen for a very long time she was soon siding with Abi over Ben and forsaking their relationship for the one she is rebuilding with her friend. You want to like Mel, and I did pity all she went through, but I felt she could have been stronger, she should have listened to her husband Ben. Ben on the whole is a nice man, hard working and can see that Abi is not someone to have around for long but I felt he could've tried harder to pull Mel away from Abi and trusted his gut instinct.  I didn't trust Abi from the beginning, her whole appearance and demeanour put me on edge, early on you realise all is not what it seems with her and soon you see how she enjoys her hold over Mel.

This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster - experiencing the turmoil of the characters involved. Adele Parks provides a dramatic tale - a story full of revenge and betrayal that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. It gives us a look at how we are so eager to trust, especially if it comes from a place of regret and that you never really know what anyone is willing to do to get exactly what they want. 

I am not 100% sure I would agree with this as just a 'thriller' - perhaps a darker chick-lit with added extras but I enjoyed it anyway. Once I'd got into it I was very eager to see how things progressed and couldn't put it down. I would recommend for a good, well written book by a very popular and respected author.

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍