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Goodreads Blurb:
Holly and Roz spend most of their days together. They like the same jokes, loathe the same people and tell each other everything. When single mum Holly gets a shot at her dream job after putting everything on hold to raise her daughter, she assumes her friend will be dying to pop the champagne with her.
But is she just imagining things, or is Roz not quite as happy for her as she should be? As Holly starts to take a closer look at Roz's life outside their friendship, she begins to discover a few things that don't add up. Who is the woman who claims to be her ally?
My Review:
I am a big fan of Jane Fallon's books; they are easy to read and definitely good for a brilliant binge read on a Sunday Afternoon just like I did. (I sat with a big hot choc and just read it in it's entirety). I've only read a few of Jane's books (the rest I have now quickly ordered) and love her style. I loved how this book wasn't based on romance but on friendships and competition within a work environment.
Tell me a Secret focuses on office rivalry and sabotaging others to get what you want. We discover how looks can be deceiving and that the friendships we cherish aren't necessarily as solid as they seem. Can you really believe everything you are told and should you always watch your back when promotions are on the table.
Holly, our main character, is being given the chance to prove herself in a new role and definitely doesn't expect her closest work friend to be trying to sabotage that. Holly is confident and likable, wanting to be liked and determined to do the best job she can. I was relieved she had some common sense and could tell that someone had it in for her, I'd granted her more intelligence and was right - very pleased Fallon didn't portray her as some useless 'victim' that couldn't see what was blatantly in front of her face. I know she came across as nervous at first but her change in job role is bound to affect relationships with colleagues but these nerves are quashed as the book progresses and we do see Holly turn into a confident and well liked manager. This shows how much the character develops throughout the story.
The side characters were fantastic, well written and all adding something important. Roz was a wonderful 'villain' in this piece; I didn't like her from the off. Loud, overbearing and a bully, Roz manipulates others especially if she sees them as weak. Towards the end we learn of a version of Roz, an explanation as to why she does the things she does - nothing excusing what she has tried to do but an opportunity to see that people may have things happening in their lives they want to keep quiet.
Although quite a serious take on rivalry between colleagues/friends there are many moments of comedy, especially through Holly's best friend Dee and her husband. They get involved and seem to relish the opportunity to spy on people and go on fact finding missions. Dee is a great character and a brilliant friend.
If you have read Jane's books before you won't be disappointed. If you haven't then you need to brace yourself for laughs, gasps and shocks - I've even been known to shed a tear . It's a fast paced read, Jane doesn't hang around - which I like. It's cleverly written to make you want to keep reading, so make sure you have time as you will not want to put this down!
Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍
