Customer Reviews

One Little Secret

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One Little Secret contains all the right stuff--good writing, deep characterizations and a great story from an author who lives in the midst of it. Bottke knows L.A. and all its burbs. And it shows. The Southland, with its sun, beach communities and Hollywood, almost becomes a character in the book.

Creating a twisting, totally non-predictable plot, Bottke infuses a witty chick-lit style to contemporary fiction. Her voice is fresh and unique. I was drawn into the story from the first page. Her characters are real and fall into the same traps we do. When the wife of one of her husband's law partners is condescending to her, Ursula wants to dig into the grocery cart, grab a fresh lemon pie and shove it in the woman's face--but knows she can't. I laughed out loud numerous times at Ursula's thoughts and reactions. And I blinked back tears a few times, too.

With characters I could relate to, I found myself getting angry at Nik, fearful that Ursula was heading toward trouble, and worried that Don, her husband, would be blind to a sexy new law partner's advances. There's conflict at every turn! A few times I wished I had Ursula's cell phone number. I'd call her up and yell at her. But as the story unfolds, Bottke kept surprising me with a new twist I hadn't expected.

In Ursula, Bottke gives us a portrait of a Christian woman living in a fallen world. She faces temptations; she sins but keeps going, assured of her Savior's love and forgiveness. How she shares her faith with those around her is well written, never schmaltzy or preachy. This reviewer gives it her highest recommendation--a must read!

Wow! This book is fun, smart, touching and a must read for any woman who has ever sacrificed for her family. This book encourages all of us to dream big, and never give up our dreams. It also encourages us to GO FOR IT when the opportunity arises.

A fun read that had me turning page after page when I should have been sleeping. At one point in the book, I realized I was so into the main character Ursula that I was having STAGE FRIGHT for HER!!! Tremendous ride, and one I'll read again and again.

A quick & easy summer read. I recieved it one day and finished it the next. A surprizing twist with lots of human interest. Enough life lessons to challenge your thinking, and maybe teach you something worthy in the process.

Ursula Rhodes had set aside her talents and ambitions for her husband and children for many years. But her day has finally come. She is thrown serendipitously into pursuing her life dream, and discovers how deep her longing is and how terrific her skills turn out to be. Ursula makes many mistakes in her pursuit of success, some that even threaten to tear apart the family she loves so much; but through it all she grows emotionally and spiritually. If you're looking for a little escape and inspiration, join Ursula in a delightful adventure into the world of the rich and famous ... to the land where dreams come true.

Nik Prevel is a rising superstar in the world of rock music; ambitious he will do anything to further his ascent. However he is irate when Bruce Springsteen takes the Grammy for song of the year that he felt he earned.

Housewife Ursula Rhodes loves music, but gave up her dreams and chances to make it to further her husband Don's legal career and raise their two children (Valerie and Victor); she enjoys teaching people especially her talented son Victor. Valerie obtains an internship with Youth with a Mission and will shortly go to Australia for a month; Victor is heading to Berkley for a Masters of Music Theory.

When Nik and Ursula meet, he offers her a rare opportunity to perform with him on his next CD. She wants to, but fears what it will do to her beloved family even as her kids are soaring away from her and she faces an empty nest. So she takes the "summer job", but worries how will Don react.

ONE LITTLE SECRET is a simple family drama with several powerful complex messages. Ursula is a terrific unselfish person trying to do what is best for her family at the cost of her dreams. Yet with one encounter she realizes she can try to achieve her dream if she takes the chance of becoming a suburban Cinderella; although she has her doubts that midnight would come too soon with Don's reactions and her own fear she is too old. Fans will appreciate this fine character driven tale even when a Grammy makes choices easier.

Harriet Klausner

As an avid reader of mystery, sci fi and action stories, this book would not have been on my reading list. But I received a free copy since I am in close working relations with Ms. Bottke. Feeling the obligatory need to read it, I picked it up on Saturday afternoon. By Sunday I had finished it!

What a pleasant surprise. I thorougly enjoyed it! It moved fast, never bogged down and had me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. Her characters where real people with real emotions, attitudes, joys and problems. I even had to go get a kleenex on several parts. She even gave "Tinsel Town" a human touch. Nothing was left hanging at the end except for a wish to read what happens to Ursula now. When is the sequel???

Anyone who enjoys reading will enjoy this book.

Cheryll Hutchings
Editor-in-Chief
Boomer Babes Rock Dream-zine
www.boomerbabesrock.com
Co-Editor God-Allows U-Turns Compilation Series
www.godallowsuturns.com

Allison does a masterful job of blending fun, faith and fiction into one zippy package!

I got this book on Wednesday, and by Thursday, I'd gobbled it all up and wanted more! I really related to the main character, Ursula, as I applied the lessons she learned to my life. This was a fun read, but not shallow: there were some deep spots too. All in all, excellent!

This book is OK, and I do like the story about a "nobody" having the chance to record an album, something the main character had always wanted to do.
My main frustration with this book is frequent "name dropping" that was littered throughout the book. For example, every time a character was described, some designer had to be mentioned with each article of clothing. At other times, it was mentioning a well known star or chef. When going into people's homes, every top of the line appliance was mentioned. It was like the author was hoping if one of the designers/artists/companies saw her use of the item/name, she would get compensation! It became almost like a joke when reading! For an "inspirational" book, it made me uncomfortable hearing all of the status symbol items, like "aren't you impressed for me!"...yeah.
Too superficial for me.

I had read Allison's first novel, "A Stitch in Time," and couldn't wait for this one to be released. I enjoyed the brief appearance of Ursula Rhoades in "A Stitch in Time" and looked forward to learning about her in greater detail in "One Little Secret." All of Allison's characters are so true to real life.

I have a background in music so the setting of the music industry, especially the Grammy Awards, made this even more exciting to see if Ursula would indeed realize her lifelong dream. It was a fast read, and while I truly enjoyed the ending, I was sad to see it end. I can't wait for the next installment of Allison's VA VA VA Boom! series. Great boomer-lit reading!

Talk about dreams coming true! In "One Little Secret" Ursula Rhoades a suburban housewife and mom has the chance of a lifetime to sing with the great Nik Prevel an awesome rock singer in his own right - son of the great Cristoff Prevelakis who is known as the love ballad king. There's only one small problem Ursula can't seem to tell her husband who is in New York for the summer working on the biggest case of his lawyer career the case that could lead to a senior partnership in his law firm. A dream that Ursula and her husband Don have worked towards all their married life. Yes Ursula had dreams of her own just as we all do. She dreamed of winning a Grammy. But she gave it all up for her husband and children, Victor and Valerie - that is till now.

Who would have thought just one innocent night of standing in for the singer in her son's band would lead to a chance of a lifetime invitation by Nik Prevel who wants to record a CD of love ballads with or without his father's blessing. Ursula agrees after much persuasion to do the project but no one is to know except Nik and his manager Arnie. So she becomes Alexandra Arcano or Alex the mystery woman. Ursula tries all summer to tell her husband but he's so busy they hardly have time for phone conversations. Ursula begins to wonder if God really wants her to tell her husband as something happens everytime she tries. Ursula knows she's lying to her family something she has never done. Deeply religious, all this is tearing Ursula apart.

Wow! the author Allison Bottke does an amazing job on this her second novel the first being "A Stitch in Time" where we first meet Ursula. God is all over this novel! An awesome read for teen girls and adult women alike call it fiction, contemporary fiction or chick-lit this reviewer calls it God's light as this novel has more reference to God than most Christian fiction books I've read in along time and that is so awesome. So find a comfortable chair, maybe some popcorn and sit back and enjoy "One Little Secret" as you won't want to put it down and I promise you'll come away never looking at your own life the same again!