The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright is the story of a young single mother of four year old Ellie who thinks she has the best life or does she. Bea works in a hospital has a pilot boyfriend Declan who flies all over. They live together where Bea handles the home fires and Ellie and her job. Bea had big dreams of becoming a doctor, ,but had to drop out once she became pregnant with Ellie. Bea always thought she and Declan would marry and raise Ellie as one happy family. That was until Declan came clean with a secret he had been hiding from Bea. At that moment Bea and Ellie had lost everything. What was she going to do?
Enter Malcolm n elderly gentleman who befriends Bea and Ellie. Malcolm brings some sunshine and hope into their lives. Along with that Shayne Malcolm’s grandson show them what a true family is. Yet are both Malcolm and Shayne holding something from Bea? Will Bea tell them the truth about how bad life is for her and her daughter without losing them and her daughter.? Plus how does Bea’s boss Elaine fit into this situation?
Brooke Harris is a new author for me so I did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised how I enjoyed this book. It was about a mother’s love for her child and what she must do to survive. It’s also about a families pain with words they cannot take back, yet with the help of friends they find their way back to each other. Beautifully written story great characters even with their flaws. I would recommend this book to my fellow readers. Thank you Net Galley and Storm Publishers for the ARC. Excellent!

I almost have no words to describe The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright by Brooke Harris. This was a beautiful, thought provoking and heartbreaking story.

Beatrice (Bea) is almost wholly dependent on Declan, her longtime boyfriend and father of her four year old daughter, Ellie. When Declan suddenly announces that he is married and is ending things and walks out without a thought for Bea and his daughter, Ellie, Bea’s world comes tumbling down around her, and she finds herself and Ellie living in a storage closet at the hospital where she works.

I could almost feel Bea’s heartbreak and desperation as she struggled to take care of her little girl and tried to find a safe place for them to live. It seemed like every time Bea would start to get ahead something would drag her back down. Unfortunately I think her situation is all too real for many. I honestly don’t know how she managed to keep their living arrangements a secret for as long as she did.

At the same time that Bea’s life was falling apart, the story took a sweet turn as she befriended the elderly Malcolm and his grandson, Shayne. Their friendship was mutually beneficial, as Bea and Ellie brought joy to Malcolm’s life and helped to bring his family back together, while he provided Bea and Ellie with friendship, and eventually a sense of belonging and a safe home.

This was such a beautiful, bittersweet story, one that I think will stick with me for a long time. and I will find myself recommending often.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My first book by the author, Brooke Harris, and definitely won’t be my last. Bea and her daughter, Ellie, find themselves in an impossible situation and Bea struggles to keep her little family safe and together. Bea meets an elderly gentleman called Malcolm outside the hospital where she works and her life is about to change forever. This story is heartbreaking but also touching, with humour and laughter alongside the moments of sadness. Just beautiful!

This was my last read of 2024. It was absolutely perfect. Bea thinks her life is perfect, and it is...until it isn't and everything falls apart. The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright tells such a beautiful story of heartbreak, strength and hope. It made me laugh at times, and made me cry. I loved everything about this book.

I adored The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright by Brooke Harris! Bea Alright is extremely down on her luck, and every time she seems to get a break, something else goes wrong. Ellie, her daughter, is the one bright spot in her life, and Bea would do anything for her. On a cold, snowy evening, when she is rushing to pick up Ellie from daycare, Bea notices Malcom, a grumpy old man, sitting on a bench outside the hospital where she works. Sometimes a break on a bench with a total stranger can be a difference-maker in your day, even if it doesn’t change your circumstances. I highly recommend this book, and I am excited to read more from Brooke Harris. Thank you to Storm Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of 'The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright'. It's a heartbreaking but also heartwarming story that will have you crying, laughing and shouting out loud (at certain characters). A 5star read to curl up with - I recommend a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and a handy box of tissues too.

A perfect read. There was just the right amount of sweetness, problems and kindness to make this work so so well. Bea is lovely and despite making mistakes, that we all make, she ends up in a really tight spot. Bea is surrounded by no-one who can help and who is there for her and her little one. The book explores the kindness of strangers and what comes back to you when you give and give and are the person that brightens life for others..

Heartbreaking, heartwarming, it'll make you laugh and it'll make you cry! An absolutely fantastic read. Bea has the rug well and truly pulled out from under her by her boyfriend. But she never gives in and will do anything to protect her daughter. With friends, both old and new, Bea soldiers on through thick and thin, and ultimately triumphs. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Brooke Harris for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright is a deeply touching story of resilience, kindness, and the enduring power of hope. At its heart is Beatrice Alright, a woman who embodies optimism, finding silver linings in the darkest of circumstances.

When Bea’s partner delivers devastating news that leaves her and their four-year-old daughter, Ellie, homeless, Bea refuses to lose hope. Instead, she clings to what little she has: her job as a cleaner at St Helen’s Hospital. By day, she diligently scrubs the wards; by night, she tucks Ellie into a makeshift bed amidst mops and buckets, determined to keep moving forward despite her dire situation.

Bea’s life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters Malcolm, an elderly man sitting alone on a cold bench outside the hospital. Despite her struggles, Bea feels compelled to reach out to this cantankerous stranger. What begins as a simple act of kindness soon unravels Malcolm’s decades-old pain, and in helping him, Bea begins to uncover ways to heal herself.

This beautifully written story balances heartbreak and hope, illustrating how human connection can bridge even the deepest wounds. Bea is a wonderfully relatable character, whose unwavering determination and warmth make her journey all the more compelling. Malcolm’s story adds layers of poignancy, reminding readers that kindness has the power to transform lives in unexpected and profound ways.

With endearing characters and a narrative that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect, The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the importance of compassion. A heartwarming and inspiring read, it’s a story that will stay with you long after the final page.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright by Brooke Harris, in exchange for my honest review.

This was a heartbreaking, as well as heartwarming, story, with wonderful, loveable characters. You will cry, you will laugh, and you may even become impatient at times; however, don't give up! This story was a great reminder to never give up.

I look forward to reading more by Brooke Harris.

This is a gorgeous read which somehow balances some heartbreaking situations with an overall warmth that actually makes this beautifully uplifting. Bea is a lovely character, a great mum and a hard worker as a hospital cleaner but her life is shattered overnight when her partners actions leave her and their four year old daughter homeless. With no family of her own and feeling increasingly uncomfortable with imposing on her best friend’s life she results to sleeping in a storage room at work. At the same time her life is falling apart she befriends an older man who frequents a bench outside the hospital and I love the gradual friendship and rapport that grows between them. Each of them are going through significant events in their lives but they each have something to offer the other in amongst their own personal tragedies. This is bittersweet but joyful and I found myself entranced by the story which I seemed to read in no time.

I absolutely loved this book! In fact, I couldn't put it down. I have my usual reading time and my usual reading place, but this was so good that I read everytime and everywhere I could. I love it when a book makes you feel like you not only know the characters but that. you are also in the room with them. This is the first book that I read by this author, but it won't be the last!

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. I truly enjoyed it!

I haven't heard of this author before but will be seeking out all of her books now! Bea is a young woman with a 4 year old daughter who is in a serious relationship with her daughter's father who works away from home. She gave up her studies when she became pregnant and now struggles with childcare and balancing a job as a cleaner in a hospital. Her partner suddenly ends the relationship and leaves Bea and their daughter with nothing. The pair are effectively homeless and she's struggling to manage. An elderly man sits outside Bea's work every day and they strike up a conversation and then a friendship. This is such a beautiful heartwarming read and I raced through it in less than a day.

Earth shattering, moving, tender and emotional is this story! Everything about the book is brilliant, never has a book had me sobbing so hard! The characters are brilliant and play their parts to perfection. I loved them all even the ones that I couldn't stand! I literally read the book in a few hours because I was so devoted to the story and the outcome. I can not rate this one highly enough as it outshines the sun!!

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. This is the first book I have read by this author but it won't be the last, the story drew me in from the first page and I was captivated until the end. The characters and story were brilliant and it made me laugh and cry, I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

I seldom cry when reading books, but this one did it and it’s a direct tribute to the talented Author!
This story is brilliantly crafted giving each character time to come to life and allow us to become
completely entwined in their lives. Nobody escapes both the tragedy of life or the wonderful and
completely unexplainable and unexpected blessings life has for us all.
This is the first book of this author I’ve read and I am now a fan for life. My thanks to Storm Publishing
via NetGalley for the download copy of this book for review purposes.

The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright by new to me author B. Harris, published by Storm Publishing, is an uplifting, beautiful, second chances exist and emotional story, gives all the feels, gets 4.5 stars.
Blurb: Beatrice Alright is the queen of silver linings. She can find a spark of hope in any situation. Even when her partner delivers earth-shattering news that leaves Bea and their four-year-old, Ellie, without a home, she refuses to panic.
Because Bea believes that what she does have is more important – her job at St Helen’s Hospital, which offers a warm, dry shelter for her and Ellie to stay while she figures things out. By day Bea cleans the wards, by night she tucks her daughter into bed between mops and buckets.
And tries so hard to hold on to hope.
When Bea sees an old man sitting on a cold and lonely bench outside the hospital, she really doesn’t have time to stop. She should be clearing up her own mess, not worrying about this cantankerous stranger. But Bea can’t help herself…
As she slowly starts to draw out Malcolm’s story, could this simple act of kindness begin to heal a decades-old pain? And might finding peace for Malcolm help Bea in ways she didn’t even know she needed?

When I seen there was a new book out by Brooke Harris I had to read it straight away. This one didn't disappoint. It was a lovely story of Beatrice Alright and he daughter 4 year old Ellie. Beatrice finds herself homeless coming up to Christmas and is sleeping in the cleaning cupboard in the hospital that she works in. She friends Malcom a man who sits outside the hospital every day in all weather. She soon learns his story and the heartbreak. A beautifully written story about love, heartache, loss and family.

A beautiful story of hope coming from unexpected places and support from unexpected people with a cast of fantastic characters, from the adorable Ellie to the equally adorable Malco!

This was on moving brilliant read. I was in floods at the end. I hated the nursery worker. Loved how the main character protected her best friend. Very sad at times. Some amazing characters . The Barbie house bit will move you. In fact you just have to read it. The right ending if tearful .