Title : Coco’s Secret
Author : Niamh Greene
Publication date : 15 August 2013
Publisher : Penguin
Purchase eBook: Kindle
Purchase paper book: Amazon
Rating : 4 out of 5 LeeLee’s!
Coco Swan has always been embarrassed by her name.
With a name like Coco, she thinks people expect her to be as exotic and glamorous as the famous designer, not an ordinary-looking small-town antiques dealer who could win an award for living cautiously. But when a vintage Chanel handbag turns up in a box of worthless bric-a-brac, Coco’s quiet world is turned upside down. Where did it come from? And is it just coincidence that it’s the same bag Coco’s late mother always wanted for her?
When Coco discovers a mysterious, decades-old letter hidden in the bag’s lining, she sets off on a quest to piece together the story behind it, stumbling across secrets that span three generations as she goes.
Could the beautiful Chanel bag be about to teach Coco more than she wants to learn? Or will it show her just where her heart can take her if she lets it lead the way?
My Thoughts
Coco’s secret is a story of self-discovery and adventure.
We are introduced to to Sarah Swan who is on business in Paris finding antiques to sell at her families shop in Ireland, Sarah is planning to head home to be with her teenage daughter Coco when she is in an accident and never returns to her daughter.
We then jump forward by 20 years to a now 33 year old Coco, living in the town of Dromore with her Grandmother. As glamorous as her name sounds Coco is very much an average woman, their isn’t anything spectacular about her and she certainly doesn’t feel anything like her name sake Coco Chanel.
When Coco finds herself in possession of a vintage Chanel 2.55 bag containing what can only be the sweetest most romantic love letter anyone has ever seen she feels nothing but guilt. Of course she should be happy, her mother always wanted her to have a Chanel bag. She found the bag in a mixed lot she won at an auction and deep in her gut she just knew this bag belonged to somebody else and that the letter inside must be of importance to them.
As Coco sets out to find the bags rightful owner she meets some fantastic people, some who may even change her life forever. Their isn’t a single point where I could tell if she was ever going to find the bags owner or the person who wrote the letter inside and this kept me engaged start to finish gripping me in the mystery Coco was trying to solve.
One of my favourite characters in this story is Cocos grand mother Ruth, she is sassy and sparkling with attitude, I also liked her love interest Karl in his homer simpson underpants!
Every character in this book has a certain charm and like-ability to them right down to Cocos godson Mark and his younger twin siblings giving the story a lighter tone and adding some giggles to the seriousness of what Coco is unravelling.
Verdict
I found Cocos Secret to be a really enjoyable read and can’t believe its been hiding on my shelf for weeks. The plot is compelling and unlike many chick-lit novels it isn’t at all predictable which I quiet liked.
If you want to try something that isn’t your average ‘chick-lit’ novel and more mystery based with a serious undertone and a little peek into history then I recommend Cocos Secret.
I read this book in two sittings, and found it to be a really nice heart warming tale of self-discovery and adventure. With just a nibble of romance on the side for good measure!
