I absolutely loved this book. Dora has found someone that she wants to be with so she must turn her back on her career as an escort. She can't resist one final job but it is going to cost her dearly. You will never predict what is coming, as with all Adele Parks books nothing is as it seems. A very explosive ending.

One last client. One last chance. One last secret.

Dora is a high-end escort. Her life has had its ups and downs and her job doesn't come without risks.

Her best friend, a man she loves and trusts, convinces her to turn her back on her job with a proposition she can't resist but she has one last job to take.

The job seems simple enough. All she has to do is accompany her client, Daniel, to the South of France and spend a week in a beautiful chateau and convince the guests at the chateau that she is Daniel's girlfriend what could possibly go wrong?

This is the first Adele Parks book I have read, which I am ashamed to say as I have no idea why I haven't read any of her back catalogues, this will be remedied! For the first 50% or so I really wasn’t sure where this story was going. I had all sorts of scenarios come to mind but none were quite right and this intrigue kept me interested. It wasn’t until I got to the latter half that it really took off as the pace quickened and I felt I was thrown onto a rollercoaster of a ride. The twists and turns which kept coming page after page had me gasping and boy was, I hooked! The only thing that I am unsure about is the epilogue as I just don’t know how I feel about it. This is by no means a negative but without spoilers, I shan't say more. Maybe there will be a sequel? I don’t know...😊

Oh my goodness this book had me on the edge of my seat throughout! Amazing plot line that had me questioning what was going on right to the end. It was genuinely terrifying in parts, I haven’t been as excited about a novel for a long time. I will be recommending this to everyone!

I thoroughly enjoyed this bool.
A new author for me and one I will certainly look out for in the future.
This thriller had so many twists, turns and quite emotional moments in it.
A great read.- and the biggest secret kept til last
Thank you to Netgalley, HQ and the author for an ARC in return for an honest review

I love Adele’s work. Once I picked this up I couldn’t walk away from it. I devoured it in one day, desperately needing to know what was coming next, constantly expecting twists but never seeing them coming. Brilliant

I really enjoy Adele Park’s writing style and found this novel, as with her others really easy to pick up and immerse myself in. Filled with tension and suspense, One Last Secret was a book I would really recommend

Just an incredible, original thriller with so many twists and revelations I was left agog. Dora is such a great central character who I was rooting for, and the part at the chalet - it made me feel so claustrophobic, I was right there with Dora. Loved the revelations as everything began to click into place. A book I won’t forget for a long time.

Having loved all other novels by this author, I couldn't wait to get stuck into the newest release. Being lucky enough to receive a gorgeous hardback copy of the book was the icing on the cake.

I found the first half of the book quite slow and hard to get in to. Dora, the main character was quite unlikeable; coming across as obnoxious and with a large ego. However, at around the halfway point I was fully invested with her as a character and my thoughts on her had done a 180. The book spun itself on its head, took a darker turn and became full of suspense and intrigue.

Despite a slow start, I raced through the second half of the book. It was fantastically fast-paced in the latter half, the mystery was there and I couldn't get enough.

The book also gave me some food for thought. Everything happens for a reason. First impressions aren't always correct. Don't judge someone until you've stepped in their shoes.

I fully recommend this book, despite a slower start than other novels from the author, I really did enjoy the novel.

#OneLastSecret Having loved all other novels by this author, I couldn't wait to get stuck into the newest release. Being lucky enough to receive a gorgeous hardback copy of the book was the icing on the cake.

I found the first half of the book quite slow and hard to get in to. Dora, the main character was quite unlikeable; coming across as obnoxious and with a large ego. However, at around the halfway point I was fully invested with her as a character and my thoughts on her had done a 180. The book spun itself on its head, took a darker turn and became full of suspense and intrigue.

Despite a slow start, I raced through the second half of the book. It was fantastically fast-paced in the latter half, the mystery was there and I couldn't get enough.

The book also gave me some food for thought. Everything happens for a reason. First impressions aren't always correct. Don't judge someone until you've stepped in their shoes.

I fully recommend this book, despite a slower start than other novels from the author, I really did enjoy the novel.

Rating 3.5/5

I have to say this is only my second Adele Parks book and I already know to expect the unexpected when I pick up one of her books, One Last Secret is certainly no exception, it really takes you on a journey.

I was immediately gripped as soon as I opened the book and was introduced to Dora and her world. She is an intriguing character, controlled and observant and seems unflinchingly honest even though her job as a sex worker demands constant performance. She is the kind of character that I knew would surprise me because she keeps things close to her chest and is also adaptable to difficult situations so I was looking forward to seeing how this would be explored.

There was a part of the book that I did struggle with a little, as Dora gets to the chateau due to some of the things that transpire I started to feel very on edge and negative which made it a bit harder to get through. That is definitely not a reflection on the author’s writing, it is a very clever and engaging story, I just don’t seem to have the same tolerance as I used to for darker stories that don’t have that shimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. Luckily Dora provided enough shimmer to get me through and I’m so glad she did because suddenly the story turned into the pacey thriller that I was hoping for.

I mean as I said before expect the unexpected, there were just so many jaw-dropping moments and as the story started to piece together and reveal how Dora had got to this moment, I literally did not want to put the book down. I was desperate to know how everything fit and what the motivations were and I wasn’t disappointed, this is the kind of book that you will be thinking about for a while after reading because it is surprise after surprise until the very end.

If you are looking for an intense rollercoaster of a book then this will be the one for you.

When Dora decides that she's giving up escort work after a terrifying encounter with a new client and an interesting proposition from her friend, she's approached with one final job that she reluctantly agrees to work. After all it's an all-expenses trip to a French Chateau with one of her former clients to accompany him as his 'girlfriend'. But it's a decision that she will soon come to regret as nothing is as it seems.

From the outset we are aware of what it is that Dora does for a living, although it's not until much later on in the book that we discover how she came to be in that line of work. It's very much a job that has come from necessity after all it's not exactly a job that you'd have said at careers day at school that you would want to do when you grow up.

No sooner do they arrive does Dora realise she might have made the biggest mistake of her life as she spots a face that she hoped to never see again. And then things just go from strange to surreal which has Dora questioning everything that she believes to be true.

The majority of the story is narrated from Dora's viewpoint which gives us an insight into her lifestyle and background and how she's able to compartmentalise her every thought and action. The more I learned about her, the more I warmed to her and was rooting for everything to turn out OK for her despite some of her questionable decisions.

I will admit that it took me a little while to settle into the book, and at times I found it to be a bit too outlandish but considering the themes explored they're probably not that extreme, but from the midway point I was gripped trying to figure out exactly what the heck was going on. Every time I thought I had it worked out something would come along and make me think differently.

Overall I found One Last Secret to be a tense and complex read with some seriously dark topics at its core. But ultimately it's a twisted story of power and revenge with a final surprise twist in the epilogue that certainly shocked me.

This was an absolute page-turner with some really interesting characters, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thanks for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Adele Parks is one of those authors who always delivers and I was pleased to receive this book to review. I was certainly not disappointed. It did take me awhile to get into this book, but by the end I was hooked. A fast moving story with lots of unexpected twists, the final twist was certainly a surprise.

I always enjoy Adele's books and this was no exception.

A great read, well written gritty thriller.

interesting story with Dora the main character being a high end escort who is proud of what she does.

Lots of twists and turns that kept me turning the page.

I have stated in previous reviews that Adele writes characters that are ordinary folk put in extraordinary situations…… Well I take it all back as there’s is nothing ordinary about Dora.

She is an escort and a refreshingly honest one at that. While her accounts might have taken some people by surprise this old dog didn’t learn any new tricks. But then I am one of those that can easily separate the physical act of sex from the romantic notions of hearts and flowers.

So I was a little disappointed if I’m honest when she started going all lovey dovey on me, when I had so admired her ball breaking attitude and independence. Then she takes one last job….

Let me rewind a bit, you see Dora has a past, which becomes apparent later on with the clever use of a very important flashback. She is secretive and not even entirely honest with her best friend Evan or her booking agent Elspeth. After a savage beating from a last minute client Evan wants to protect her and he certainly has the means to do it thanks to a very wealthy father and healthy trust fund. I could tell he loved her straight away so when he proposed I was rather shocked with her answer and even more that she then took the last job. For a girl with smarts she certainly made some dumb decisions.

I do trust that Adele knows her characters better than I do though so I went with the flow and took a trip with Dora to the château. Then the twists hit and maybe she wasn’t so dumb after all. She isn’t the only one with a plan though.

Does she get her happy ever after? You will have to read it to find out.

Fast paced, gripping and exciting psychological thriller. Very well written with realistic and interesting characters.
What I liked the most was that at no stage of the book, did I predict what was coming next. Lots of twists and turns.
I will certainly be reading other books by this author.

3.75⭐

Happy Publication Day to Adele Parks!

I was fortunate to get a place on the blog tour from HQ.

I've read all of Adele's latter books. I found this one very slow starting, although it did pick up once they arrived in France. This is a challenging read! Please do check the content warnings if you're concerned. I found the violence disturbing. There is so much grief and sadness in this book. It's heartbreaking.

I thought the egg scene was very clever 👀

My favourite quote:
"There are no knights in shining armour, but f*** me, damsels are still in distress."

One Last Secret was twisty and turny and just when I thought I knew where it was going there was another red herring that took the story off in another direction to what I expected. It kept me gripped throughout and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my ARC.

If you are a fan of Adele Parks' books you will already know that her plots are never quite as straightforward as they first seem. And it is certainly true of this one, a dark and gripping read that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Dora works as a high-end escort; after finding love she has decided to give up, but takes on one last job, posing as ex-client Daniel’s girlfriend on a week long trip with his friends to a chateau in France. But when they arrive it quickly becomes clear that all is not as it seems ….

Dora is a fascinating character and by using her as the narrator, Parks ensures the reader really gets to know her – unashamed about her job and brutally honest, prepare to be surprised how much you warm to her, and as we learn more about her past you can’t help but root for her despite sometimes questioning her decisions.

With twists and turns galore, this is a book that will keep you turning the pages and keep you guessing. Another cracker from Adele Parks!

Complex and complicated story full of horrible people,none of whom are what they seem. Struggled with this story and it's many layers,all just a bit far fetched.

This is a sensuous, summer read that sizzles throughout. I found the ending to be unanticipated and cleverly written, showing Parks keeps her readers on tenterhooks down to the final page.

It didn’t take long for me to invested in Dora’s story. As a ‘lady of the night’, Dora’s frank, blunt narrative is very honest and it felt like she was talking directly to me as a reader. Like a confessional, Dora makes it clear that her life is not glamorous and that she accepts the criticisms behind her profession. However, money is the driving force and Dora shows she is not embarrassed by what she does: she is embarrassed because she does not know what she would do instead with her life.

Heading to France with a known client, Parks makes this an intensifying, sultry narrative. The summer weather is sticky, sweaty and oppressive – and this is definitely reflected in the story. I felt for Dora’s confusion and the feelings of being an outsider amongst Daniel’s friends, whilst simultaneously yearning that this self-promised last ‘job’ would end soon. However, Dora’s instincts soon prove correct that something just doesn’t add up, ending in a claustrophobic game of cat and mouse. Dora becomes hunted, she becomes trapped and she becomes targeted. The trouble is, she doesn’t not know who is behind this and why they are treating her like this.

Parks switches to Dora’s past to give more depth to her character. This developed my sympathies for her and her desperation was palpable. It was saddening to read about, especially as I could easily imagine this is not something that belongs just in fiction. At the same time, I applauded the way Parks presents Dora’s work and think this frankness makes her a more likeable character: she doesn’t disguise this line of work is widely criticised, but acknowledges there still is a need for what she does.

As the story developed, I could not believe some of the surprise revelations that Parks includes. At some points I was gasping in disbelief, finding myself re-reading some paragraphs in case I had missed something! There were some clever plot twists that come in the final chapters, so this is definitely a book you need to see through to the end to truly appreciate Parks thrilling narrative.

It should be noted that there are several dark topics addressed in this book, so some readers may want to approach this story with caution. The way they are woven into the narrative adds to Dora’s character and I felt like I had a better understanding of her as a result. However, I can appreciate these subjects can make for uncomfortable reading; at times, I felt I had to put the book down and emerge from Dora’s dark world.

This was a sultry, suspenseful read. It is quite slow to get going but the tension builds to unexpected revelations at the closing.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.