The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright - Brooke Harris - ★★★★
GENRE: Contemporary Fiction
PUBLICATION DATE: February 7, 2025
RATING: 4 stars.
In a Nutshell: An emotional contemporary drama tackling an important issue faced by Dublin today. A loveable but overly naïve main character, excellent supporting characters, great themes, beautiful ending. Not a light read. NOT A ROMANCE!
Plot Preview:
Dublin. Twenty-nine-year-old Beatrice thought that her future was set. But when her partner Declan delivers some unexpected news, Beatrice and their-four-year-old daughter Ellie are left without a home. Ever the optimist, Beatrice believes that she will find a new place soon, as long as she can manage the house hunt in between her hectic work schedule as a cleaner at St. Helen’s hospital.
As is evident, Beatrice Alright isn't alright. But when Beatrice bumps into an old man sitting on a park bench outside the hospital, she doesn’t realise that her life is about to change yet again.
The story comes to us in Beatrice’s first-person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
😍 The fictional age-gap friendship between an old man and a young woman might leave you thinking of Ove and Parvaneh from ‘A Man Called Ove’, but this is not at all similar. The connection between Beatrice and Malcolm works with their mutual effort, and neither is badgered into a forced affiliation.
😍 Malcolm – Most senior citizens in fiction are either curmudgeonly or charming or vulnerable. Malcolm manages to be all three in turn. An excellent supporting character.
😍 Ellie – such a darling! I love how she was treated as a vital part of the narrative instead of being an afterthought as most fictional children are. More importantly, she always sounded and behaved her age.
😍 The rest of the characters come in a variety of behavioural shades. Shayne is too good to be true. Cora is a fabulous friend. Elaine is a tough boss. Declan is a jerk as you might have guessed. Except for Declan, the rest have personalities that make you want to know them more.
😍 The first-person narration is used excellently to show us Beatrice’s thoughts without too much rambling. There is a little bit of repetition, but that’s more because of her character than the writing. I think this story worked better because of this writing choice.
😍 While there is a tiny shade of romance in the book, at no point does the book become about the romance. The focus is always on Beatrice’s situation and how she handles her experiences. I always appreciate books that stick to their core plotline right till the end.
😍 Several relevant themes such as loneliness in the elderly, relationship troubles, foster care problems, day-care constraints, but what I appreciated the most is the focus on the homelessness issue in Ireland, specifically Dublin. It is quite jarring to learn how severe the problem is.
😍 Another theme I loved was the stress on having a strong support system (whether family or found family) and asking for help when needed. Mothers especially have a bad habit of assuming that they can do it all alone. But for our own sanity, it is always better to learn to accept help when offered. (Oh, and also to know household finances instead of leaving everything monetary to the *man of the house*.)
😍 The use of the location, not just for the social issue but also in its routine life and its wintry feels. A realistic depiction by highlighting the city’s strengths without glossing over its flaws.
😍 The ending – perfect for the story. Emotional and a bit too convenient, as is normal for the genre, but no forced HEA.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🤔 The title somehow makes the book sound quaint and fun, not sad or emotional. The pastel cover also adds to the lighthearted feel. However, most of the story is more distressing than feelgood. I appreciated the book better for this reason, but those who want a light read might not be so happy.
🤔 Beatrice is not an unlikeable character by any means, but she certainly is a frustrating character! Overly naïve for her age, she keeps making choices that she thinks are for the good of everyone, but are neither logical nor practical. A part of me excused her ignorance as an outcome of growing up in foster care, but for a twenty-nine-year-old, her ignorance was jarring. Her behaviour was also contradictory at times. For a long time, I couldn’t see Beatrice growing in maturity or self-respect. So while she was still a gem of a person in many ways and I was still rooting for her mess to be sorted out soon, I couldn’t support her unreservedly. The toughest task for me was to stop judging her for her mothering. Don’t get me wrong: she adored Ellie, but taking hasty decisions without thinking about how they would impact Ellie, lying to Ellie and even asking her to lie to others about their situation, drinking even when alone with Ellie, offering chocolate cookies and apple juice for dinner, buying whatever Ellie asked for and justifying it as a necessary purchase to make Ellie happy… All parenting red-flags. I’d have rated this book higher had Beatrice been more reasonable overall. Then again, so many women are like her… 🙁
🤔 A couple of cuss words and an uncomfortable scene in the final quarter sullied the vibes for a bit. This might have been a realistic depiction, but I would have liked the content to be toned down a little considering the genre and the overall clean tone of the book.
Bookish Nays:
😕 Many plot points that weren’t sorted out neatly and left me with numerous questions. How could a child of foster care afford medical school? How do characters keep purchasing alcohol even when they don't have money? Why no follow-up on the 500 euros? How are Malcolm and Shayne the “closest thing to a family” Beatrice has ever had when her parents had been a loving part of her life till age eleven? (Many more questions, but those venture in major-spoiler territory.) Basically logic doesn't help while reading some genres, but I never learn. 🤷🏻♀️
All in all, I did have a great time reading this, despite how many times I came close to shaking Beatrice and saying, “Enough! Start thinking with your head now!” Malcolm and Ellie were more than enough to keep me contented. The themes were also to my taste, and the lack of a forced romantic arc was an added bonus.
This was my first Brooke Harris, and based on this experience, I’d definitely love to explore more works by her as she stuck to the essence of women’s fiction without turning it into a melodramatic romance.
Much recommended to those looking for an emotional story that balances between heartrending and heartwarming. If you have read/watched ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ and liked it, this novel offers similar vibes. Not for those looking for a light romance or a relaxing uplit.
4 stars. (Which could have been higher but for Beatrice.)
My thanks to Storm Publishing for providing the DRC of “The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Plot Preview:
Dublin. Twenty-nine-year-old Beatrice thought that her future was set. But when her partner Declan delivers some unexpected news, Beatrice and their-four-year-old daughter Ellie are left without a home. Ever the optimist, Beatrice believes that she will find a new place soon, as long as she can manage the house hunt in between her hectic work schedule as a cleaner at St. Helen’s hospital.
As is evident, Beatrice Alright isn't alright. But when Beatrice bumps into an old man sitting on a park bench outside the hospital, she doesn’t realise that her life is about to change yet again.
The story comes to us in Beatrice’s first-person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
😍 The fictional age-gap friendship between an old man and a young woman might leave you thinking of Ove and Parvaneh from ‘A Man Called Ove’, but this is not at all similar. The connection between Beatrice and Malcolm works with their mutual effort, and neither is badgered into a forced affiliation.
😍 Malcolm – Most senior citizens in fiction are either curmudgeonly or charming or vulnerable. Malcolm manages to be all three in turn. An excellent supporting character.
😍 Ellie – such a darling! I love how she was treated as a vital part of the narrative instead of being an afterthought as most fictional children are. More importantly, she always sounded and behaved her age.
😍 The rest of the characters come in a variety of behavioural shades. Shayne is too good to be true. Cora is a fabulous friend. Elaine is a tough boss. Declan is a jerk as you might have guessed. Except for Declan, the rest have personalities that make you want to know them more.
😍 The first-person narration is used excellently to show us Beatrice’s thoughts without too much rambling. There is a little bit of repetition, but that’s more because of her character than the writing. I think this story worked better because of this writing choice.
😍 While there is a tiny shade of romance in the book, at no point does the book become about the romance. The focus is always on Beatrice’s situation and how she handles her experiences. I always appreciate books that stick to their core plotline right till the end.
😍 Several relevant themes such as loneliness in the elderly, relationship troubles, foster care problems, day-care constraints, but what I appreciated the most is the focus on the homelessness issue in Ireland, specifically Dublin. It is quite jarring to learn how severe the problem is.
😍 Another theme I loved was the stress on having a strong support system (whether family or found family) and asking for help when needed. Mothers especially have a bad habit of assuming that they can do it all alone. But for our own sanity, it is always better to learn to accept help when offered. (Oh, and also to know household finances instead of leaving everything monetary to the *man of the house*.)
😍 The use of the location, not just for the social issue but also in its routine life and its wintry feels. A realistic depiction by highlighting the city’s strengths without glossing over its flaws.
😍 The ending – perfect for the story. Emotional and a bit too convenient, as is normal for the genre, but no forced HEA.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🤔 The title somehow makes the book sound quaint and fun, not sad or emotional. The pastel cover also adds to the lighthearted feel. However, most of the story is more distressing than feelgood. I appreciated the book better for this reason, but those who want a light read might not be so happy.
🤔 Beatrice is not an unlikeable character by any means, but she certainly is a frustrating character! Overly naïve for her age, she keeps making choices that she thinks are for the good of everyone, but are neither logical nor practical. A part of me excused her ignorance as an outcome of growing up in foster care, but for a twenty-nine-year-old, her ignorance was jarring. Her behaviour was also contradictory at times. For a long time, I couldn’t see Beatrice growing in maturity or self-respect. So while she was still a gem of a person in many ways and I was still rooting for her mess to be sorted out soon, I couldn’t support her unreservedly. The toughest task for me was to stop judging her for her mothering. Don’t get me wrong: she adored Ellie, but taking hasty decisions without thinking about how they would impact Ellie, lying to Ellie and even asking her to lie to others about their situation, drinking even when alone with Ellie, offering chocolate cookies and apple juice for dinner, buying whatever Ellie asked for and justifying it as a necessary purchase to make Ellie happy… All parenting red-flags. I’d have rated this book higher had Beatrice been more reasonable overall. Then again, so many women are like her… 🙁
🤔 A couple of cuss words and an uncomfortable scene in the final quarter sullied the vibes for a bit. This might have been a realistic depiction, but I would have liked the content to be toned down a little considering the genre and the overall clean tone of the book.
Bookish Nays:
😕 Many plot points that weren’t sorted out neatly and left me with numerous questions. How could a child of foster care afford medical school? How do characters keep purchasing alcohol even when they don't have money? Why no follow-up on the 500 euros? How are Malcolm and Shayne the “closest thing to a family” Beatrice has ever had when her parents had been a loving part of her life till age eleven? (Many more questions, but those venture in major-spoiler territory.) Basically logic doesn't help while reading some genres, but I never learn. 🤷🏻♀️
All in all, I did have a great time reading this, despite how many times I came close to shaking Beatrice and saying, “Enough! Start thinking with your head now!” Malcolm and Ellie were more than enough to keep me contented. The themes were also to my taste, and the lack of a forced romantic arc was an added bonus.
This was my first Brooke Harris, and based on this experience, I’d definitely love to explore more works by her as she stuck to the essence of women’s fiction without turning it into a melodramatic romance.
Much recommended to those looking for an emotional story that balances between heartrending and heartwarming. If you have read/watched ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ and liked it, this novel offers similar vibes. Not for those looking for a light romance or a relaxing uplit.
4 stars. (Which could have been higher but for Beatrice.)
My thanks to Storm Publishing for providing the DRC of “The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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