The Secret to Happiness

By: Jessica Redland

Narrated by: Lucy Brownhill

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2019 Jessica Redland (P)2019 Boldwood Books

Critic reviews

"Forget the Cotswolds, Jessica makes the Northern English coast sound like the most idyllic place to be." (The Cozy Pages)

Deceitful title

Wow, what a cringy book. I finished the book (on 1.7 speed and skipping through much of the final third) and found very little happiness. Oh, it had the obligatory hea for the three women, but it was pretty unbelievable. The replacement men were perfectly perfect.

Most of the book was angst and misery. I feel like this author doesn’t really like men, since they were either horrible (read sociopathic) or over the top saps. I’m sorry, I hate to rip a book like this, but the mental/emotional cruelties Redland made her characters perform were so ott it was painfully obvious she was simply going for shock factor. Not good.

**Trigger Warnings**
Big Spoilers here


-Vivid description of tragic accidental death of a child.
-Narcissistic abuse/manipulation of a partner creating dependency.
-Lots of infidelity and victim shaming.

Definitely a ‘Do Not Recommend.’

The Secret to Happiness

The Secret to Happiness. I loved this book it was a really good story not just heavy breathing and same old sex scenes copied and pasted throughout the book. Like so many books. Why can we not have more similar books. Usually the books offered on plus catalogue I find are very ordinary. Wish Audible would put some books on plus catalogue that are similar to this. Just a good story basically about real people. Did not want to put it down

Amazing!!!

I don't know how I even stumbled across this book but I absolutely loved it! Three great female characters and I grew to love each one! Narrator was excellent at differentiating the voices, I never had to guess who was talking. The book flowed great from start to finish!

Loved the story

Such a great story! I loved the ending. The only complaint I have is that the reader did not have different voices to distinguish characters, so sometimes it was hard to know who was talking.

Live life

Regardless of all the hurt and betrayal life is still worth living. It was nice how all the stories made a full circle and had a very fulfilling ending.

Nope

I have listened to many books on Audible even though I am fairly new. I truly love listening to the different varieties of story tellers, and the different stories I have enjoyed some more than others. However, the story telling in this book is atrocious the story itself would be one I could enjoy if I could at least look past the narrator. Until now I have not given up on a book, even with though it was hard to listen to some narrations, and this is the first have to bow out of. I am now on chapter five so I can say I gave it a good try. I wanted to push through and ignore the way it was being told, I just can not listen anymore I would like the content itself if the story teller and had been better. I have listened to books where I was not fond of the narrator I was able to push through. People have told me a bad narrator can mess up a good book,and this was hard for me to believe due to the fact I have listened to some I really did not enjoy this story has proven them right.

Beautiful Story of Life and Friendship

I loved this book. I didn’t know if I would at first, it’s not my usual read. But listening to the trails and wins of the 3 women really made me feel good inside. Lovely book! And a must read for any woman 20-30.

The Secret to Happiness

I normally read mystery & thrillers, but wanted a nice romance, filled with life, as a change. I couldn't have chosen a better one. Loved the story, the characters and in truth, wanted to see what was the secret to happiness. I think this book showed me the answer. The narration was very good.

I really enjoyed this story of friendship

I loved the character development and how their stories were woven together. The narration was excellent.

Such an easily enjoyable book.

The three young women in this book seemed real and their problems were relatable.I enjoyed this book over a weekend and would buy a follow up book were it available.

Best this year

I enjoyed this story so much I cannot get it out of my mind and I didn't want it too end . It's a story of three girls who find each other and become firm friends, you live through their ups and downs and how they all find the secret to Happiness.

I love this author

This book was yet another hit by Jessica Redland. I absolutely loved the characters and their journeys. Would definitely recommend this uplifting read.

Brilliant listen

Absolutely brilliant book, had me fixed from the off, gripping, heartwarming and heart wrenching all at the same time, this is the first of Jessica Redlands books I’ve listened to and I’m just about to download the next!!!!

Well written story of friendship

A well written and narrated story of friendship helping 3 people through tough times to try to find happiness and contentment in their lives (and just get out of toxic relationships and grieve for relatives)
Overall its a goos chilled out read.

Absolutely loved this book

I started listening to this while flicking through the new features. I was hooked straight away. Probably meant for a female audience but I loved it. It was one of those books that when it comes to an end you feel like you are going to miss the characters.

Unputdownable

My first listen to Jessica Redland. And my first ever review. This book was a throughly enjoyable listen, I think it will always be a firm favourite of mine. Looking forward to hearing more of Jessicas novels.

Can’t rate it yet

This book was included until 27 July - it’s still 27 July and I was listening earlier, nearing the last couple of hours when it was suddenly removed 😕

Way too many happy endings but …

Way too many happy endings, but sometimes we just need to hear nothing else but soppy happiness stories. Friendships. The power of female friendship and support, can get you thorough anything. Thought it was dull at first but somehow became totally captivated by the story of the three women and their friendship.

I'm so glad it was free!

Tediously boring! Couldn't finish this . I hated the pathetic characters and ha no sympathy for any of them.

kept skipping forward to finish it quick.....

I found this so poor that I kept skipping forward to get it over with as quick as possible ! Cheesy story and a narrator that made every character sound the same even the men ,so that was a bit confusing.
Thank goodness it was free.