Jennifer Lavender never felt like she belonged. She was always working so hard to earn her parent’s love and attention but nothing she did felt like it was ever enough. Even as a child, Kitty had an incredible imagination. She was always telling her friends and family stories some of which were quite horrific; though, to her family, they were more of a source of amusement than a cause for concern. But it turned out that her mother died when she was born. As an adult, Jennifer has tried to fill the void in her heart. She married Marcos because she was convinced he would finally make her happy.

From there she began to master the craft, fixing her punctuation and gaining a basic understanding of the publishing industry. Writing was just a distraction at that time, a means of burying her grief by getting immersed in imaginary worlds. This book was so heart breaking in a lot of chapters, that broke my heart I literally sobbed. The feeling it brings you to feel involved like they are all your friends. Rachel, Winnie's granddaughter takes a shine to Alberto King the colour of his skin doesn't bother her a single mum to her daughter Martha she was glad to have a bit of excitement in her life. Neither Elsie nor Bert nor their children wanted to move to Candle Lane. The street in Battersea is modest but they all miss their home in Wimbledon, especially the kids, Ann and Arthur.When Celia's husband leaves her and Thomas announces he is to marry Amy, she is more determined than ever to split them up.Celia needs an ally, so she writes to her elder son, Jeremy, asking him to come home. In the meantime, his ex wife Pearl Button has divorced him and remarried, determined to protect her son from knowing who his real father is.

It wasn’t until she met Jim, her second and final husband, that Kitty Neale achieved a sense of stability in her life. By the time they got married, Kitty’s children had grown up and started lives of their own, so Kitty was free to indulge in her passions.Kitty Neale blames one particular English teacher for the development. The man would always commend Kitty on her essays, taking note of the talent brimming in every bit of writing she submitted. sadly the last in this three book series but I shall look forward to more adventures from Kitty Neale her book just keep coming in heaps and bounds with so many feel good emotions as you can't put them down.

Kitty Neale is a British author that writes thrilling dramatic novels that explore friendships, family life and the hardships that plague normal life. Kitty’s stories are inspired by her own personal experiences and the tragedies she has encountered in her life. Now 16 years old, she's finally managed to escape the cruel confines of the orphanage, and enter the real world. Finding work at a nearby café, Pearl is thrilled to start earning her own money, even if she must contend with sharp-tongued Dolly Dolby. Celia Frost has always thought herself a cut above the other residents of Lark Rise in Battersea. When her beloved son, Thomas, starts seeing Amy Miller, a girl from the bottom of the Rise, Celia disapproves, thinking her common. Even though Kitty knew that she enjoyed telling stories, it wasn’t until she arrived at Tennyson Street Secondary school that the notion of pursuing a career in writing and publishing finally took root in her mind. The author married her first husband in 1966. Their son and daughter were born soon after. Then came the divorce, followed by a number of years during which Kitty struggled to survive as a single mother.From the get go I couldn't put down this book, the beginning has a dark and forboding feel to it that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Kitty Neale's writing style is fast paced and keeps the reader interested. The Family Secret is a one can't put downable read, and boyo boy there's a lot along the way to surface as you read. Seventeen-year-old Constance has had a privileged upbringing in Clapham, with staff to attend to her every need. But her parents have always been cold and distant, never showing her love. Writing came into the picture soon after, an activity that added further stability to Kitty Neale’s life. She started out slow. At the insistence of a friend, Kitty started attending a regular gathering of writers.

A gritty tale of family and a love that holds no bounds, from the best-selling author of Nobody’s Girl and A Father’s Revenge Most modern authors would have used such affirmation as a reason to immediately make their mark in publishing. However, even though her writing talents were so clear to everyone who knew her, it would be years before Kitty Neale sat down to write fiction. Kitty Neale comes from a working-class family. She grew up in South London. Her parents worked in the local factories. Kitty spent a lot of time on the streets around Battersea. She might have never recovered if it wasn’t for a bereavement group she joined, one that constituted women who had lost children in tragic circumstances. The group allowed Kitty to heal. So guys these types of books often carry some trauma and sexual assault is featured, not in graphic detail but it is mentioned and more than once so heads up. Classism, relationships, friendships, alcohol abuse, poverty and manipulation so there is never really a dull moment.This is an interesting look at a number of people and how they coped with life’s joys and problems amid the war. It was obvious once I started it that this was the second book in the series and I had not read the first Battersea Tavern book. But the author filled in the story enough to get the gist of what had gone before. Winnie, is a warm hearted character who is not judgemental and who mostly tries to see the good in people. Sometimes that leads to trouble. She is fiercely protective of Rachel and Martha. We also meet The Hampton siblings Errol and Cheryl. Cheryl is close to her father but Errol and Harry have always had an uneasy relationship. Winnie Berry is her own boss and doesn't take any nonsense in her pub a well respected woman liked by everyone, then sorrow is about to hit not only Winnie but a lot more of the character's for the war is still on going bringing more tragedy and sorrow.