Oh, Lizzie!! You have done it again! I had such a lump in my throat by the end of the book it was unreal. I knew to expect something like that when I read this book as it is the way but I had to grab a glass of water this time!! This is such a lovely story of love, loss ad growth. Violet, crippling shy and completely downtrodden thanks to her idiot ex-boyfriend Liam. He took everything from her, he broke her. Then Kai, a meeting by chance, changes everything she knows and holds on to dearly.

I love stories where things can happen to people. A bit like Sliding Doors, the what-ifs, and this is a HUGE what if. If Kai had not been in the café that day when Violet was singing who knows where she would be now.

The supporting cast are a delight! I loved Esme and Doris, Cole, Danny and Trina, plus Violet’s best friends. All played a part in her journey. All testing her and supporting her in different ways. The proper little family. There a whole host of characters who will stay with you and can I have them as my friends?

I found this was a book I wanted to keep reading, even though it was way past my bedtime one night I still wanted to stay up and read it. I was sucked into the world Lizzie had created and I didn’t want to leave. I loved the café/bar of Shh…it’s our Secret and would love for it to be a real place. It sounds like a lovely welcoming and special place, plus I love live music! Family is definitely who you make it and it is something I have always thought, this book just reconfirms that for me!

I always snap up any book that Lizzie’s writes, I know I am behind but I have them on my bookshelf shouting to be read. To me, she is a magical storyteller who allows me some time to get sucked into a happy place for a few hours and enjoy the words in front of me.

Loved it. A delightful story about friends, the music business, the coffee cafe' business and so much more. A sweet romance. Interesting character growth. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

This is a light, easy read, but probably aimed to a younger age range than mine,
It's a pity because the blurb was really promising, but I couldn't connect with it.
I would say it could be recommended for readers in their 20s.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me. I was bummed because the little blurb had me really excited but the writing style just didn't work for me. The author did a lot of telling without showing so it was hard to get attached and get into it.

Thank you to Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review!!

My rating: ★★★


Good plot, interesting characters, loved how Violet slowly came out of her shell and found her inner strength, also, finding her voice as well.

Overall a fun, enjoyable read.

I absolutely loved this book. I am not the fastest reader but I raced through to the end in 2 days.

The main character Violet is a bit down trodden and lacks in self confidence, but that all changes when life kicks her when she is already down one too many times.

She has amazing regulars at the place she works who she loves like family.

You have hunky men, great strong friendships that are tested, music, laughter, sadness, steamy kisses, heartache and betrayal.

What more can you want from a romance novel?

Loved it and fully recommend it. I loved Lizzies writing style.

I love books about communities.
I love books that feature music.
I love books that follow a character who discovers their own inner strength.
So I absolutely loved this gorgeous book!

Brimming with fascinating, lively characters and an interesting venue, I soon found myself willing Violet on with her life after her difficult years with her ex boyfriend and the terrible loss of her parents in her teens. I adored how she looked after her regular customers, and in return was loved by them all. It’s true to say that friends are the family that you choose for yourself ❤️
Kai was brilliant for seeing how special Violet was, not only her vocal ability but as an important part of the community. It was fabulous how he considered her needs and wishes, especially as Violet struggled before with relationships.
A positive and uplifting story that definitely made my heart sing 😊

A slow start to a good book.

This is a book about family loyalty, secret talent, insecurity and the need to learn how to get past old transgressions.

Violet works at a run down bar in serious need of help - a real influx of money is the answer.

And how to find that money drives this in a few directions.

Violet works through family obligations, professional relationships and coming to terms with following dreams.

I didn't like it. The romances was lacking chemistry and it wasn't believable at all. I didn't connect with the characters.

Violet has a secret that she's determined to keep, but when Kai walks into the cafe where she works and into her life, finding out the secret, Violet is frantically trying to convince him to keep it for her, lest her life, and the lives of those she loves, be ruined forever.

If you're looking for a nice light read while you curl up with a cuppa after a long day, then this is a book for you.
Its a light read about friendship, family, trust and respect.

Unfortunately I felt as if the book was rushing a little bit in places, I wondered if I was perhaps missing a couple of chapters but taking that aside it is still a good book. Its my first book by this author so I'd be intrigued to see what else she has written.

The last few lines were particularly clever, or at least amusing, I'm not sure if clever is the correct word but fair to say I appreciated the last few lines.

Shh... Can I tell you a secret?
I finished this in a day!
I have read several of Lizzie Chantree's books already, she is an extremely versatile author, and this book is another little gem in her book jewels.
Violet loves to sing. She has since she was young, but the joy of singing ends when her parents pass away.
Since then, she's hidden her talent, singing in secret, and succumbed to an awful relationship. The only silver lining in the cloud that is her life, is the cafe she works at, and the family she has built from her regular customers.
Life takes a huge turn when music producer Kai walks into the cafe and hears her voice.
All in all, an enjoyable read, quick and easy, and the happy ending we all want!
Many thanks to NetGalley and BHC Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Easy enough read with some likeable characters but it's all a bit twee with opportunities missed, would Liam the abusive partner really just have walked away ? The story needed more padding more rounding, everything happened step by step by step. I enjoyed the premise of the story, the whole idea of Violet not singing due to the death of her parents and the reawakening of her love of singing but it just needed more.

Violet has an amazing singing voice. However she stopped singing when her parents past away. That tragic event affected Violet in so many ways. She allowed people to walk all over her. She meets a friend that helps build her strength, confidence, and love of singing. Changes occur in her life that bring her back to life.
This was an easy read, sweet read.

Great, fast read with interesting characters and good plot.

Violet - girl with secret which can change not only her life and Kai, music producer, looking for bit of peace and quiet from his stressful work.

What will happen when these two meet?

Can they help each other?

Read to find out!

Great, fast read with interesting characters and good plot. I was pleasantly surprised when it quickly drew me in. Violet is a bit of a mess in her personal life but the regulars in her coffee shop are very devoted to her. When she meets Kai she's just been dumped by her live in boyfriend who also owns the coffee shop. Kai swoops in and changes everything. I had a hard time liking him in the beginning because he wasn't honest with Violet but everything works out in the end. I kept thinking this would be a good Hallmark movie.
Thanks to NetGalley and BHC press for my copy of this book.

DNF @ 27%

I’m just not feeling it. The synopsis had me engaged and it sounded like something I would have loved, unfortunately I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters at all, and the more I read, the more I couldn’t wait to finish.

Anyway, let me tell you a bit of what I know: Violet has a nice voice and she could be a professional singer if she wanted to, but she works in a café and she’s basically the only one that’s stopping it from falling apart, since the owner is her good-for-nothing-and-abusive-boyfriend who doesn’t even care about the business anymore.

On the other hand, Kai, a wealthy young man who is also a producer, happens to come by the café and when he hears Violet sing, he just knows this is the real deal.

Now, I always like me some good, healthy romance and I think they could have been good together. But, like I said before, I just couldn’t connect with any of them because the writing style is focused on telling me, instead of showing me what is happening. It just doesn’t feel organic at all. I felt like I was outsider and I couldn’t get into the characters even when I tried.

Last but not least, I do hope Violet grows into a better version of herself and she learns how to sing in front of others ‘cause apparently she has talent and that doesn’t happen quite often.

This book was very cute and multiple people can relate to it. The main theme was getting over someones fear and hurt and moving on with their life which a lot of people are afraid to do. The reader watches as the main character wants to be a singer but is too scared to sing in front of anyone because it reminds her of her memories with her parents that are no longer alive. She doesn't want to share her voice with anyone, not even her own sister. Over time, she slowly gains confidence because she realizes that people actually like her singing. She tries to remain under cover but her secret gets out. So she has a choice to make: go back in her shell or embrace her new life. With the help of friends, family and a new love she breaks free of the hurt that she has held on for far too long and learns that her dreams can come true.

Violet loves her community and her community loves her back. In a small café/bar she establishes a found family that propels her to venture out of her comfort zone. I think that's where the story is at its strongest when Violet is interacting with all the different personalities in her shop. Unfortunately, that's not enough to drive the story forward. The book falls for the trap of "telling and not showing" and loses its heart along the way. It's hard to root for a character's love interests if they seem shallow and her interactions with her love interest seem either rushed or disproportionally emotional. Although the premise itself is interesting enough of someone pursuing her dreams, the execution of it is rather stale and impersonal.

DNF at 61%
I just didn`t feel the hype or any interest in the book. I really tried and it kind of caught me in the firsy few chapter but it bothered me that Kai kind of came in as Violet`s rescue and everything kind of fell into place so quickly. Liam was terrible and abusive, but fast enough it was like he hadn`t happend. I ended up DNFing it because i was sadly not feeling the story or was interested in the characters. Sadly.