Wow this book kept me hooked from the first few pages, I loved the 1st book in this series and didn't think I'd get into this book but I was wrong!!! I loved the twists throughout and certainly didn't guess the ending. It was a fab book. Hoping for another book soon in this series. Have a read I'm sure you'll love it.

Review: I really enjoyed this sequel! I loved the fact that I got to revisit the characters from the first novel in this series. If anything, this second novel made me appreciate the characters from the starlight diner even more, I got to see how they tick and learnt a lot more about Bernie in this novel than I did the first novel which was great. We got to see a lot more of Esther in this novel too, and I loved the kind of motherly figure that she took on for Bonnie! It was lovely to catch up with Jack and Jimmy and Walt as well. Jimmy really comes into his own in this instalment and I really warmed to him!

Although I've spoken a lot about the deeper appreciation you get for the characters because this is the second book in the series, this book also works well on its own. I know this because I accidentally started reading this book before I read the first book in the series and I was totally caught up in the story even though I hadn't met all of the characters before, so if you like what you've read in the extract above, you can definitely read this on its own! The other reason you can read this book as a standalone is because this book centres around a new character, Bonnie, who we don't even meet until the very very end of book one....

I really liked Bonnie because she is so fiercely independent. I really liked that fact that she had got herself to New York and spent xmas alone there. I also really like her ability to read people, just like Jimmy! She really comes into her own in this book, in a way that we can tell she hasn't before coming across the characters she meets in the diner! This book is set partly in Atlantic City too because it is somewhere I've been close to but never visited! There's also a whole bit about Lucy the Elephant, who resides at the seafront in Margate. I loved learning about her in the book and went on to read up about her online, I'll be visiting her next time I'm in New Jersey, that's for sure!

Overall, this was a really strong sequel. Like the first book in the series, this was a romantic comedy with a dark edge and there is a court case in this book that brings in all the great aspects of a crime novel too. You would definitely enjoy this book if you like your rom coms a little meatier and whether or not you've read the first in the series, you'll be able to pick up with this great group of characters and love them just as much as I did!

I need to admit something! Before I began reading Helen's new book, I assumed that it would be a candyfloss style read. I don't read blurbs you see, so I try to guess the book by the cover. It is safe to say that my guess was way, WAY off with this one.

Bonnie is definitely a character to remember. She's quirky, bolshy and isn't afraid to ensure that she's noticed. However, things aren't as they seem and soon enough, Bonnie lands herself in a bit of hot water at the diner she just happened to 'stumble' across. Seeing as I assumed that the storyline would be more candyfloss than pancakes and syrup, I had no expectations of the storyline itself. When Bonnie appeared in the diner trying to find her friend, it didn't take me long to work out that this book would have more sustenance than even pancakes and syrup!

Every chapter seemed to unearth yet another quizzical circumstance and leave me with unanswered questions. More characters appeared on the scene and took the book up another notch, whilst still leaving a lot of boxes unticked. I had no idea where the storyline was headed but I was super excited to find out!

As well as a FABULOUS book soundtrack that you may find yourself singing along to whilst you read, Helen has laced the entire book with on point humour and dry one liners. Absolutely brilliant.

Secrets and Fries was definitely a book that kept on giving and I was pretty disappointed when it ended. Every single character added to the ambience of the diner (and the storyline) in their own unique ways, making the unfolding storyline even more of a surprise.

I wouldn't have minded if this book had a candyfloss feel to it (sweet, fluffy) don't get me wrong, but I am rather pleased that I ended up wrong with my guess and that the Starlight Diner just kept on surprising me.

Full of songs to job your memory, food to tickle your tastebuds, humour to knock your funny bone and a superb, gripping storyline, what more could anyone want? I really do hope that we get to visit the Starlight Diner again, I am already having withdrawal symptoms! A must read by the fabulous Helen Cox.

Thank you Avon Books UK

This is one of those books I'm so happy to have read. All the characters seem like old friends because it's written with nuances and emotion everyone can relate to even though the situations are nothing like my reality.
Insight into events that precipitated the characters' emotional states is doled out in perfect measure. The romance and the trial are timed beautifully within the story's confines.
The only thing that bothered me was Jimmy's lack of proper English. Since he has a law degree he presumably had to be well spoken