I really enjoyed this as a romance novel, it had that element that I was looking for and thought the feel of this worked. The characters were everything that I wanted and was glad I got to read this. Brooke Harris was able to create something that I was looking for.

The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright is a moving story of resilience, love, and the unexpected ways human connections can heal, it was an enjoyable read which I would definitely recommend.

I still have tears in my eyes as I write this review. What a perfect piece of storytelling. Absolute brilliant. A topical subject so wonderfully explored, Bea, Malcolm, Shayne, Elaine and Ellie were lovingly depicted characters. A truly sensational read.

An engaging and emotive story that was easy to read and built some strong characters,I did find the initial meeting between Bea and Malcolm cringey though and found Malcolm initially a character that I would have avoided rather than seek out, that aside a good not great read

This is the uplifting story of Beatrice (Bea) who is at a bad point in her life but keeps pushing through. While it is sad throughout, it is uplifting to watch Bea find solutions. It is endearing to see how much she loves her 4 year old Ella.

They meet up with a grumpy, old man in the park. He becomes a central character in their life, along with his grandson, Shayne.

It's hard for me to describe the story and the writing style. So much of me thinks it’s corny and predictable. But the other part of me keeps turning pages, cheering for Bea, wanting everything to turn out well for Bea and Ella.

This is a quick read, an easy read. It demonstrates kindness, friendship, love, resilience. The importance of family is stressed. Small things matter. These are such important characteristics to observe with all the disasters and wars happening. This book is a reminder that there is still good in the world.

Though I was satisfied by the ending, there may have been a couple of tears.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

Your heart will break and be put back together by the end! 💔

Beatrice Alright lost her parents at a young age, and spent her teen years in Foster Care. But, she now has a family of her own with her four year old daughter, Ellie and her partner, Declan, who may not be around much because of his career as a pilot, but who has provided them with a cozy apartment to live in.

It doesn’t matter to her that she gave up on her dream of becoming a Doctor when she unexpectedly became pregnant. Or that she now works as a Cleaner at St Helen’s Hospital, instead of as a physician, because a true family is what she has yearned for most.

But, Declan walks away from them both, and doesn’t even leave her the apartment-forcing her to hide their daughter in a supply closet overnight, tucking her into a makeshift bed, between the mops and brooms. At least it’s warm, and dry, unlike the frigid Winter outside-and after all-it’s only temporary, while she saves enough money for the deposit for a Flatshare.

When Bea sees an old man sitting on a cold bench outside the hospital, wearing no hat-she doesn’t really have time to stop-she must pick up Ellie from daycare, but she always notices those who may need help-so she does. And, as his presence becomes a constant, in her now unrecognizable world, an unlikely friendship develops.

Perhaps they can heal each other?!

If you enjoy character driven novels which have you reaching for tissues, 🤧 this is a book to add to your TBR! You will shed sad tears and happy tears, as the book is part melancholy and heartbreaking and part heartwarming and hopeful.

I had never read anything by Irish author, Brooke Harris, but now that I have, I am excited to explore her back catalogue!
This book will be available on February 7, 2025 so you won’t have long to wait before you can pick up a copy too!

Thank You to Storm Publishing for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, I am sharing my candid thoughts.

The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright is an emotional novel about human resilience in the face of adversity.

It is a story of love, hope, friendships and new beginnings. It has a well drawn cast of characters that you can't help but care about and it is a touching story that I found hard to put down.

4****

This is a beautifully written story that certainly pulled on my heartstrings. It just goes to show how quickly your life can change (don’t even get me started on Declan!) and how, through no fault of your own, you can find yourself homeless. There are a real mixed bag of characters in this book that you will either love or hate. Bea is certainly a strong, proud and resourceful woman, even though you might not understand or agree with all of her motives. Ellie is adorable and I loved her relationship with ‘Malco’. Overall it is a book about friendships coming together in places you least expect and how we can all learn to look out for each other so we can all ‘Be(a) alright’! Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for letting me read and review this book. 4.5 ⭐️

What a great story! After so many setbacks Bea still finds opportunities to care, for her daughter of course but also ‘her’ patients, friend and even the lonely man sitting outside the hospital. When she discovers his story she wants to help. Can she give herself and her daughter the future they deserve?

I really enjoyed this story with great characters. A story of empathy specially in difficult times.

Thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

Bea is such an upbeat and positive character. And Ellie is adorable. I loved Malcolm and how he was so willing to help Bea. I also loved how patient he is and how much he wants to repair the relationship with his daughter.
This is a beautiful book about second chances and finding a new place to belong.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

Beatrice, Mum to 4 year old Ellie, is a cleaner at St Helen's Hospital in Dublin after she had to drop out of medical school. She grew up in foster care and her boyfriend Declan turns out to be married and suddenly leaves, withdrawing his financial support. After a living arrangement at friend Cora's becomes unsustainable due to her annoying boyfriend, Beatrice and Ellie end up homeless at Christmas, sleeping in a hospital cupboard until she is rumbled by boss Elaine - who has a surprising connection to other characters.

Beatrice never loses hope though, she has a child to look after so she simply makes it work, from saving money by walking everywhere, eating less and making a Christmas jumper herself when required to, to striking up unexpected friendships with elderly Malcolm and his grandson Shayne. They both have their hidden traumas too which are gradually exposed.

Homelessness is often shamefully hidden and not talked about, unless without respect for the unhoused. It can happen so fast - in Beatrice's case due to one man who simply vanishes, without paying child support. I was incredibly upset about this unfairness, hitting women who have to look after a child instead of getting a career doubly hard. It also highlights how every unforeseen expenditure like a late fee at the crèche can topple a careful budget, and how shelters can often be less safe than expected.

Malcolm is a cantankerous, terminally ill man who hasn't spoken to his daughter in ages. He tries to make amends but it seems too late. Instead, he spends more and more time with Beatrice, Ellie and Shayne, showing us the power of intergenerational friendship and found family.

The more time Bea spends with Shayne the more she likes him. There is a Princess Bride-esque line about "his blue eyes are the colour of the sea after a storm", but then Declan reappears, keen to reconcile - what should she do? What would be best for her daughter? Ellie is a lovely child and your heart will break over her circumstances and her continuous cheer about kite flying and her friend "Malco".

This is a beautifully written, engaging and emotional story about falling on hard times and second chances, and that you should never push people away. It's a heartwarming and uplifting book about the power of kindness that will stay with you, and I read it in a day. A great new author for me!

Just as an aside: Who puts Rich Tea biscuits in the fridge? Disturbing.

I loved this book! Bea & Ellie captured my attention (and my heart) from Page 1, and I could hardly stand to put them down. Brooke Harris expertly brought the emotions and struggles of these characters to life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this novel.

A beautiful story of friendship, relationships and family, that truly tugged at the heartstrings.

Bea's life changes in an instant after partner Declan breaks some news to her. The story follows Bea in her determination to not give up, and to find a way through for herself and daughter Ellie. I loved the characters of Bea, Shayne and Malcolm, but intensely disliked Declan and Fintan - the author had two very extremes of character there! The story shows how easy it is for life to change in an instant, and how hard it can be to change it back - it really played with my emotions, I cried multiple times. Just a lovely book.

What a quick and fun read. I was so engrossed i finished in 2 days.
Highly recommend. Look forward to more from this author.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. This story highlights the challenging circumstances that some people face in life. It also highlights the fact that no one really knows what is going on in people's lives. I felt for Bea and her daughter Ellie. The characters are so well written and her innocence is worrying. Malcolm is lovely, his story is also delightful but upsetting. It was a good read and certainly pulled on my heartstrings.
I can recommend this book.

I enjoyed this emotional tale of a mother keeping hope alive for her daughter, in the face of major obstacles. The characters seemed realistic, were relatable, and the dialogue was real. I have to admit I did tear up a bit near the end. I liked the Dublin setting, and I'm glad I had the Oxford English Dictionary loaded, as I had to look up several terms (creche, for one) that I had no idea what they meant!

Would I read more from the author? Absolutely!

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

This book is an engaging and emotional novel that keeps readers hooked with its mix of mystery and personal transformation

When her four year old daughter's father ends the relationship. Beatrice has two weeks to find new lodgings.
Unfortunately, she and her daughter end up sleeping in a closet filled with cleaning supplies at the hospital where
she works. Her encounter with an elderly gentleman sitting on a bench outside the hospital is one of the few
bright spots in her life, As Beatrice and her daughter spend time with the elderly man, all their lives change for the
better. Story about human connections and resilience.
#TheSecretLifeofBeatriceAlbright #StormPublishing #NetGalley

Brooke Harris has a new fan right here!! This was my first time reading a novel by her, but I’m sure it won’t be my last. A bittersweet emotional novel that had me thinking about the characters even when I wasn’t reading.

Bea is a young mother to a four year old daughter. She dropped out of medical school and works as a hospital janitor, but their lifestyle is quite good because her boyfriend is a pilot and makes a decent wage. Bea is expecting a proposal and gets dumped instead. She finds herself a single mother, with no support struggling to find a home. A series of events leave the pair homeless forced to seek refuge in a hospital closet to sleep. Bea clearly has enough problems of her own, but she can’t help befriending an elderly man she sees sitting outside the hospital on a bench in the cold daily. His loneliness was palpable, while his zingers delivered the laughs. She and Malcolm begin an unlikely friendship that made my heart ❤️ smile!😊

This novel tackles hard themes, but manages to feel uplifting. My emotions were all over the place and I loved every minute of it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an Advanced Readers Copy. These are my unbiased opinions.

4.5 stars that I will gladly round up to a resounding 5.

The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright is a wonderful read that has you smiling, shedding a tear and laughing out loud.

Bea Albright is a kind soul and she takes time to help strangers or sit on a bench with them like she did with Malcolm.

Malcolm is elderly and such a character that you cant help but love the old curmudgeon.

Bea find her and her 4 year old daughter homeless as Christmas approaches and her pride wont let her tell even her best friend.

Bea does what any mother would do : she sacrfices for Ellie and puts her first even if it is sleeping in a storage closet.

Malcom is a fixture on that bench and when their friendship grows and he takes Bea and Ellie under his wing you breath a sigh of relief.

Malcolm has his own personal struggles and his own story that will tug at your heart.

Brooke Harris takes the reader on an emotional journey that will have you reaching for kleenex, smiling and shows you the power of kindness and the strength that resilience brings.

I highly reccommend The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright and this book will stay with me for a very long time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the privilege of reading and reviewing this wonderful book.