IN little bit more than a decade, Freya North has become one of the best-known female writers, with ten novels under her belt.

I picked up Secrets because of its local link – it’s set in the North-East and North Yorkshire – and I’m an instant fan.

Joe lives in a rambling old house in Saltburn. His life is great. He is goodlooking, has a great job and a girlfriend in every port. When he advertises for a quiet housekeeper, the last person he’d have expected to turn up on his doorstep is Tess – young, scruffy, enigmatic and with a toddler in tow.

As sparks fly between them, it becomes clear they both have something to hide. Can they learn to trust each other enough to take their growing attraction further?

North succeeds in making Joe and Tess well-rounded, realistic characters and describes Saltburn beautifully.

I turned the last page of Secrets with a feeling of satisfaction that all loose ends had been tied. Well worth a read.