Book review: The Secrets of Primrose Square + competition

By Claudia Carroll
Published by Zaffre

Synopsis: It's late at night and the rain is pouring down on the Dublin city streets. A mother is grieving for her dead child. She stands silently outside the home of the teenage boy she believes responsible. She watches …

In a kitchen on the same square, a girl waits anxiously for her mum to come home. She knows exactly where she is, but she knows she cannot reach her. 

A few doors down, and a widow sits alone in her room. She has just delivered a bombshell to her family during dinner and her life is about to change forever. 

And an aspiring theatre director has just moved in to a flat across the street. Her landlord is absent, but there are already things about him that don't quite add up…

Welcome to Primrose Square.

How did this book end up in my hands? I won a copy of this book ahead of publication day, which made me very happy.

Was it a page-turner? Only work got in the way. I couldn’t wait for my next break to pick up the book again. A good chunk of the book is dedicated to introducing the various characters and giving a glimpse of life in Primrose Square. I almost forgot that the title promised ‘secrets’ and when this theme was subtly introduced, I was well and truly hooked.

Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? The synopsis prepared me to meet a wide range of different characters but the book was so much more than that.

Did I like the ending? [no spoilers] Yes. Once all the secrets were out, I think that there was only one direction the book could go so – in a way – it was slightly predictable towards the end. This said, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Three words to describe it. Heart-warming. Touching. Sweet.

Do I like the cover? This cover is to die for. So pretty. It captures the mood perfectly and I wouldn’t hesitate to jump into it!

Have I read any other books by the same author? No and I want to. Claudia Carroll seems to be a very prolific writer and I look forward to exploring her previous (and future) work.

Will I be recommending this book? Yes, this is such a feel-good book. I dare anyone to not feel all warm and fuzzy inside after ‘meeting’ the inhabitants of Primrose Square! It is not just a fluffy novel though. The author also delicately handles serious themes like grief and [something else that would be a slight spoiler so I am not going to mention it!].

Anything else? Yes! The publisher has kindly offered one copy of The Secrets of Primrose Square to go to a lucky reader! All you have to do is follow me on Twitter and retweet the competition post by 14/10. UK only. All comments left below will count as extra entries (one per person). Good luck!