This is a fantastic book, perfect summer reading. With drama, emotions running high and feuds, this is a great read. Heartwarming and engaging.
Thank you to Netgalley for my arc.

A brilliant read
A book about friendship
Will have you hooked from the first page till the last
Love this ladies books
Thanks Netgalley

As a confirmed fan of Sarah Morgan’s writing, I was excited to read her summer book for 2025. I always look forward to finding out where her story will be set and was delighted to discover that the action this time takes place in the Lake District, one of my favourite areas of England. Sarah’s books are always full of family and friendships, and I could see from the start that this one was going to be no exception. I was hooked from the first few pages.

The story centres on Milly and Nicole. Although they have been best friends since childhood, Milly has not heard from Nicole for 18 months until she is suddenly contacted by her and asked for an enormous favour. Nicole has got herself into trouble and needs somewhere to hide while the fuss calms down. Against her better judgement, Milly agrees to smuggle Nicole into her Lake District resort and keep her concealed there until she decides what to do with her life. Milly’s annoyance and hurt at having been ghosted by her friend gradually subsides as they talk, but Nicole is keeping one big secret from Milly, and that is something that could destroy their friendship forever when it comes out. Even as the friends are rekindling their relationship, romance is bubbling under the surface for both of them.

I highly recommend this book, which I absolutely devoured within no time at all. It has so much to grab the reader’s attention, with stunning central characters as well as a host of others who you want to get to know. The story includes four generations of women in Milly’s family. Then there is the beautiful location. Milly’s holiday resort has fabulous luxury cabins set on the shores of a lake in one of the loveliest parts of the UK. Add in not one but two handsome and sensitive men and who could want for more? I always enjoy Sarah’s books, but this one has to be one of her best; definitely one not to miss this summer.

Great story about the twists and turns that friendship take as life happens. Sarah Morgan never disappoints

I’ve never met a Sarah Morgan book I didn’t like, and this one can firmly be added to that collection. What a journey! I think the thing I liked the most about this was the growth of pretty much every character (and the redeeming arcs with not-so-popular ones too!) but oh my goodness the plot twists they just kept on coming constantly hooking me back in. I just couldn’t put this down! ✨ Thank you so much Sarah and HQ for access to the eARC ✨

"Our friendship was a lifeboat in rough seas, a warm blanket in cold weather. Knowing you would always be there for me made me feel secure and safe, and I think it was the same for you."

Whenever I think of a Sarah Morgan book, I think of how her books give comfort to a reader. Her stories are heartwarming, but they also feature very relatable issues that do happen in real life. In A Secret Escape, we deal with one issue that affects us all....friendship. When those friendships are fractured and broken down, it can bring an array of feelings such as abandonment and loneliness.

Milly and Nicole's lives are worlds apart. Nicole's life is one of glitz's and glamour as a world renowned actress. Her best friend, Milly's is a life of being recently divorced and running her family business in the Lake District with her mother, grandmother and daughter. Now, suddenly, Nicole desperately needs Milly's help after some not so favourable Hollywood scandal she has caused and needs to go into hiding. Milly answers her call and although she should tell her absolutely not after the way she was ghosted by Nicole, she relents and agrees for her to stay.

We then follow Momilly and Nicole trying to mend their broken friendship and reconnect. What has happened to both of them does make them finally address why Nicole ghosted Milly at a time when she was going through turmoil.

This story is about new beginnings, facing your past, building bridges, new budding romances and starting a fresh.

Really enjoyable read.

Sarahs books draw you in and this was a summer read that lived up to expectations with a dose of family, friendships and new beginnings.
Milly hasn’t had the easiest past eighteen months and was ghosted by her close childhood friend Nicole at a time when she needed her the most. Living in the midst of the Lakes, Milly is secure with the love of her mother Connie, grandmother Peg and daughter Zoe. She’s doing her best to become stronger and more assertive when Nicole arrives in need of shelter.
Secrets tumble out but forgiveness is there along with healing. The story demonstrates that you can have all the money in the world, but life can become very lonely when things go wrong. This was a heartwarming read with the demonstration that home is most certainly where the heart is.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Sarah Morgan for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Friends reunite in a time of need
—
Feelgood, summer, cosy read: you know exactly what you’re getting with this.

First, the specifics: Milly and Nicole have been friends forever, until suddenly Nicole dropped out of Milly’s life without any explanation. Now, from out of the blue, Nicole asks Milly for a huge favour, to stay incognito at one of Milly’s holiday cottages. Sorry, I buried the lede: Nicole is a huge international movie star and something terrible’s happened so she needs to get out of the public eye. Of course Milly’s going to help, but she’s still going to be angry about it. What the hell happened between them and how will they fix it? And will the handsome staff carpenter offer Nicole a shoulder to lean on, just as Milly gets closer to the handsome writer squirrelled away with his latest draft?

The answer, as in all romcoms, is yes. Red herrings, twists and turns, dead ends and mysterious strangers abound, but of course a happy ending isn’t far away at all.

Three and a half stars

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book I am a big fan of Sarah Morgan’s books and I love her cosy reads. I really enjoyed the character development and how her books are always female centered and positive. I enjoyed the friendship between the two female main characters and enjoyed the setting of the book. I would recommend this book.

The Secret Escape follows old friends Milly and Nicole as they reunite in the Lqke District at Milly’s family’s holiday home business. Nicole needs her help and while she’s not been a good friend to Milly, Milly can’t refuse her. We follow them as they navigate their friendship in its new and delicate state as well as Milly and Nicole’s own life changes unfolding.

I have been a fan of Sarah Morgan for a long, long time! I always pick up her summer and winter releases and get such a sense of living vicariously through them as Sarah always transports you to her settings. This one was no different and the Lake District was really brought to life!

I could recommend lots of Sarah’s books to you but restraining myself I’d say her From Manhattan with Love series has all my favourites. Next up for me this summer from Sarah’s back list will be Family for Beginners and One Summer in Paris.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this title.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Nicole dropped out of contact with Milly months ago. Now Nicole is back in touch asking for Milly’s help. She is looking for somewhere out of the spotlight to get her life back on track. Milly cannot ignore the request for help and they begin to reconnect, but will this heal the broken bond between them.

An absolutely fabulous read. A great location for what turned into a great story full of friendship, love, support and understanding which made for a wonderful story which was difficult to put down. Beautifully written. So good I read it twice.

“Sometimes the bravest thing is starting over.”

This line captures the soul of the book. It’s about the courage it takes to face the past, to forgive, and to open your heart again—whether to an old friend or a new love.

Sarah Morgan has a gift for writing characters who feel like real people—flawed, funny, and full of heart. Milly’s quiet strength and Nicole’s vulnerability make for a compelling dynamic, and the Lake District setting adds a dreamy, escapist charm. The emotional layers are beautifully balanced with humour and hope, making this a perfect summer read.

Whether you’re already a Morgan devotee or new to her books, A Secret Escape is a gorgeous reminder that it’s never too late to heal, to love, and to begin again.

i really enjoyed this book, it was a story about friendships and family and all the up and downs in life.
a great read that i would recommend

I usually like a Sarah Morgan book, but I just couldn't get into this one.
I found both the central characters to be really annoying and I just couldn't relate. I found the plot to be very formulaic too.
Disappointing - but i'm clearly in the minority based on other goodreads reviews.

This book made me laugh, tear up, and think deeply-all while rooting hard for the characters.
It's more than a romcom; it's a brilliant, heartfelt story that stays with you.

Another hit from Morgan, I enjoyed this and felt really connect with the story. Thank you netgalley for the earc.!

This is another fantastic, easy to read story by Sarah Morgan. As with all her books there is a wonderful cast of characters who tell the story to us, each taking their turn to tell their side of the story and reveal their own secrets to us.
The story was a wonderful one, celebrating the bonds of family and friendship and exploring how those bonds can be tested and still hold firm if their foundations are strong enough. It was a wonderfully uplifting read and one that left me with a smile on my face as I turned the last page.

I found this book slow to get going but it is well written and the characters have depth. I enjoyed the setting of the Lake District but felt more could have described about the area. As with a lot of books i felt the second half of the book was much more entertaining than the first half and i found i read it quicker. I would recommend this book to people who like books about relationships between people be it family, friends or romantic partners. This book has many things going on on different levels and is not just a romance boy meets girl type of book. It provided situations to make you think how you would react in that scenario so may work well as a book club read.

I really liked this book, it made me think a lot about the friendships I currently have and what I’d be willing to do for each relationship.

I like how the book explored Milly’s building assertiveness post relationship breakdown and coming to terms as being a single mum who also deserves a life too.

I enjoyed getting to know Nicole’s character and seeing how initially she appeared superficial and full of herself but that she really did value all the sacrifices Milly had made for her.

This book is a great reminder of the hard work that goes into sustaining good friendships but the joys that come alongside it.

Also please can we have a shout out for the legend that is Nanna Peg! She’s so proud to be herself and larger than life. I wish I could have her confidence and surety of herself, even at 82. She’s a real star of the book!

I would read this over & again