One Little Secret (Paperback)

by Allison Bottke (Author)
Key Phrases: blissful love, senior partnership, Nik Prevel, Alexandra Arcano, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Bottke takes her readers into exhilarating ... moments where one has to remember to breathe. The story is one wonderful ride." -- Vasthi Acosta, Christian Book Previews.com

"Overall, a very good book that I didn't want to see end. Highly recommended!" -- Jenn Simpson, villagecafe.blogspot.com

Product Description
Welcome to the story of a suburban housewife whose life gets flipped upside down because of one little secret. Ursula Rhoades has never questioned the value of the choice she made to stay home to take care of her children and support her husband in his high-powered career. She has taught piano and voice lessons off and on, but her life revolves around her children, husband, and volunteer work--and she loves it! Then a singing gig at an upscale wedding changes everything. Ursula meets Nik Prevelakis, heartthrob pop singer and son of an equally famous singer. Awed by her talent, Nik asks Ursula to sing on his new record, a collection of classic American love ballads. When she hesitates, he insists they'll use a stage name so Ursula's happy family life is not disrupted. It's the stuff dreams are made of . . . but the dreams turn into nightmares for Ursula when the album is nominated for a Grammy and Ursula's true identity is revealed.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764200585
• ISBN-13: 978-0764200588
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,086,839 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unpredictable fun ... a MUST read!, August 2, 2007

By	Ane Mulligan "editor, Novel Journey" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For every MOM, WIFE, DAUGHTER - you GOTTA read it!, August 1, 2007

By	Tracy Ruckman (Alabama) - See all my reviews

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Summer Read, August 2, 2007

By	Betty Southard "Betty Southard" (Newport Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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.