Another fabulous read by Sarah Morgan, she’s becoming a new favourite author.

Childhood friends Milly and Nicole couldn’t have more different lives. Their parental relationships couldn’t be more different either.

Nicole’s passion of acting lead to rising fame despite repression from her mum, whatever she did was never good enough for her mum.
Milly fully supported by her mother wanted to own her own business and took over her mother’s business.

Following a period of silence from both friends following the separation of Milly and her husband, Milly received a desperate call of help from Nicole needing somewhere private to hide following a multitude of career damaging events. Nicole and Milly rekindled their friendship whilst Nicole stayed in the Boathouse. Secrets were still untold between the friends.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC! Another brilliant read.

childhood friends have been distanced and let the tension roll on. when desperate times call for desperate measures; and the truth needs to be unravelled, can they count on their long lost friendship and trust those around them?
adored, as always - secret escape is set in one of my favourite places ever (the lakes) and being from the north west, this felt homeish to me! i loved all the characters stories, individually and collectively, how it was all intertwined as the story went on!
autobuy author for myself, it's a tradition! so i will always heavily recommend

Milly and Nicole have known each other since they were children. They’ve always been there for each other through thick and thin, through the sad time and happy times it didn’t matter they were always there.

Milly always knew she wanted to take over from her mum. She loved the aspects of owing the business and brining happiness to others. She likes the quiet and the calmness that comes with a small town.

Nicole has always felt a pull toward acting. Her first drama class brought that passion to life, fast forward a few years and here we are. Nicole is a worldwide known actress, everywhere she goes she’s spotted by someone.

When it all goes downhill things happen and people are hurt and their friendship becomes strained.

That’s all I’m going to say, I don’t want to spoil it for any readers but what I will say is there is drama, there’s secrets being kept and they always come out in the end.

Not only were we given Nicole and Milly but this author added another two POV’s, Milly’s mum and daughter. It was intriguing to see how they felt whilst certain parts of the story played out and I have to just say, Peggy was absolute hoot!

Every time I see a Sarah Morgan book I’m instantly intrigued partly because that’s my sister in laws name haha but also because I know I’m going to enjoy it.

Sarah Morgan brought us a beautiful and heartwarming story about friendships and the tests they endure, about family and how one can differ so differently to another. It’s a book about forgiveness and finding one’s happiness after sadness has overtook. It’s a brilliant, unputdownable read that left me wanting more from all of these characters.

Found Family, Single Parent, Small Town, Zero Spice

I really enjoyed the female relationships in the book and I especially liked the descriptions of the Lake District. I enjoyed the book but felt it could have progressed a bit quicker in the first half. I also feel that the chapters from Connie’s point of view were neither here nor there; there wasn’t enough to get to know her so why were they there? Overall, a nice, gentle read.

The Secret Escape by Sarah Morgan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much @hqstories for sending me an ARC of A Secret Escape by @sarahmorganwrites .This was my first Sarah Morgan book and I was hooked! A contemporary romance with a focus on female friendships? Don’t mind if I do! Nothing says more than a perfect spring read than this, here’s a synopsis below:

Childhood friends Milly and Nicole had always been more like sisters so Milly never understood why Nicole dropped out of contact all those months ago.

Until Milly receives call for help from Nicole who needs somewhere private to hide, and the only safe place she can think of is Milly’s holiday home business in the Lake District.
Over the summer they reconnect, with new romances on the horizon. But then the biggest bombshell of all lands and their delicate friendship is put to the test once more...

Tropes included are:

Female Friendships
Personal Growth
Budding romance
Secrets
Family
Different worlds

I adored this book and loved Milly and Nicole’s relationship, they both grow over the book and I really enjoyed the different chapter perspectives. Nanna Peg had to be my favourite character, I loved her wit and protective instincts for her family. I did like Brendan too, the crime writer staying at the Forest Nest- his books gave me an impression of Agatha Christie who I also adore. And let’s not forget the setting, I love the Lake District and the Forest Nest I could see it in my eye whilst reading, the description of the lodges are luxurious but homely and I would love to stay in one.

Ultimately I loved how Nicole and Milly’s relationship blossomed during the book and the message of how distance and secrets can test a friendship but can’t break a valuable bond.

I will definitely have to check out more Sarah Morgan books after this read as I loved it. A Secret Escape is released on the 22nd May

Yay! Sarah Morgan is back! I didn’t need to even open the book to know that it was going to be a 5-star read.

Escape to the Lake District where Milly runs a holiday home business, Forest Nest. It is the picture of calm and tranquillity – exactly what estranged best friend, Nicole, is hoping for. Calling up Milly out of the blue, Nicole wants to escape her glamorous Hollywood life and lay low in the Lakes. What exactly is she hiding?

Not only is Nicole’s life topsy turvy, Milly’s isn’t exactly a bed of roses, either. The story moves between Milly, her daughter and her mother, and I loved how Morgan adds layers to the different generations of women. Life is never simple and I think the writer vividly captures the highs and lows that we all experience. In Milly’s case, divorcing her husband continues to cause pain and she finds herself throwing everything at her business and being the best mother she can – leaving any chance of personal happiness at the bottom of her priorities.

Over time, readers learn what brings Nicole to the Lake District and what she is running from. Like so many of Morgan’s books, the journey is never simple and I enjoyed the way that Brendan and Joel became such significant characters. Furthermore, all of the women were interesting to read about and I felt equally invested in them, regardless of the age difference. The characters are all easy to warm to and I was keen to see them find a happy ending.

Elements of this book reminded me of a previous Morgan read, namely because of the lake setting. I could vividly picture why Milly and Nicole find their inner peace at Forest Nest and felt envious of the characters being able to stay there – it truly seemed idyllic! The theme of broken families was also similar to my last Morgan book, although I enjoyed how this also became woven with friendship and loyalty.

Another exceptional read from Sarah Morgan. I always pick up her books with a smile on my face because I know I am guaranteed a good plot, great characters and an enticing setting. Bring on Christmas for her festive novel!

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

I enjoyed this book on a number of different levels. I loved the theme of love, friendship and family that ran throughout it. There are 4 generations of women, all looking out for each other, Milly and her daughter and then her mum and her nana. It highlights how a problem is not just connected to one person but shared amongst the everyone, and everyone is impacted in some way, even if it's just to worry about the other person and be there for them should they need a shoulder to cry on.

The friendship between Milly and Nicole was interesting and it really highlighted how Nicole's life changed once she became famous, how the 'real' world seemed to be kept away from her and she only was able to navigate within the Hollywood world, and just how claustrophobic that was compare to the freedoms people think that you must have when you are famous.

I enjoyed them feeling out their friendship again, with Milly standing up for herself, and then add in the new friendships with the guys and it was really a sweet read with some big feels. Panic attacks, depression, love, freedom and privacy were all talked about really well, as well as showing how a mature reaction to a marriage breakdown can be navigated.

Some amazing setting descriptions, the Lake District is a great location to get away from it all and heal. All in all a lovely summer read.

4.5 stars
Sarah Morgan has done it again and wrote an emotional and feel-good novel that is perfect for the upcoming summer season! To me, it isn't summer (or Christmas) without a Sarah Morgan novel, and this book did not disappoint. I was absolutely hooked on this story, especially the setting, which honestly sounds so picturesque, and now I need to go to the Lake District immediately.

I loved that we got to read from both Milly and Nicole's perspective in this one as you really got to know them in depth and see how much they grow throughout the book. I also like that we got to read from Milly's daughter and mother's perspective as it allowed us to see how cartain parts of the story affected them. Sarah Morgan writes fantastic characters who are incredibly realistic, and for some, relatable characters who you can't help but root for.

A secret escape is such a wholesome and amazing story about family, friendships, and forgiveness. I absolutely recommend picking this one up, along with her backlog, and can't wait for this year's Christmas novel!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another delightful novel by the author.
Milly and Nicole have always been more like sisters than best friends so when Nicole asks for Milly's help, she is there right away. She does this, even though Nicole hasn't been in touch for many months. Milly wants to support her friend, but also get to the bottom of her absence. The only issue is Nicoles fames and how on earth they are going to hide her tiny home, with her teenage daughter.

There were a bunch of interesting threads running through this one, with Milly's relationship with her daughter and her ex-husband, Nicoles big bust up in Hollywood and fear her acting career may have stalled and Nanna Peg.
This was heartwarming, with family and friendships at the heart of the story. Another wonderful instalment by the author.

Another great read from Sarah Morgan.
I look forward to her books every year.
This was heartwarming, emotional, and a nice, easy read. Perfect for the beach, to zone out & be elsewhere.
I liked teh characters and the story, with of course the messages of family, friendships and stocking together.
Definitely a recommended read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another great read from Sarah Morgan.
Milly is surprised when she gets a call from Nicole asking for her help. They’ve not spoken for 18 months and Milly is still hurt by her friend’s lack of contact when she needed her, but she agrees to help her.
Nicole is running from her life in America and the paparazzi who are hunting her down.
Milly agrees for Nicole to stay in her home which is in a remote lakeside location in the UK, but it’s clear they have things to discuss.
I won’t spoil how it all turns out as it’s a great story that I think you’d enjoy.
Thanks to HQ for the opportunity to read this book.

As is Sarah Morgan’s trademark, this book brings multigenerational female perspectives as it explores the trials and tribulations of life and relationships in all their forms. I enjoyed seeing the depth and complexities of the relationships between friends, mothers and daughters, grandmothers and more. All of these characters have their own personalities and experiences, facing challenges that are tackled with heart and empathy. My favourite was Nanna Peg who brought heaps of humour and fire to what was a fairly heavy story. The romance was light but well written into the story, though I definitely wanted more but when do I not? I’m such a romantic!

It was interesting to see Milly’s daughter, Zoe, also narrating part of this story and exploring the difficulties of broken friendships and families. It’s easy to relate to some of her struggles and though she isn’t a huge part of the story her perspective has impact here too. All in all a great book with a nuanced plot and characters.

I received a free copy of the book. All views are my own.

I love Sarah Morgan's books, and "A Secret Escape" is no exception. She is surely one of the queens of relationship dramas. I highly recommend this novel with it's lovely setting in the Lake District.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Milly’s family have a holiday rental business in the Lake District which she now is in charge of and works to ensure the guests have a lovely stay.

Her relationship ended and now her she and her daughter live in a cabin just on waterfront. She has her mother and grandmother who live nearby.

Out of the blue, Milly gets a call from Nicole, she’s her old friend as well as an actress who is living in the U.S. She needs a place to stay for a while following something that’s happened which Nicole and is involved in.

At one time, they both used to be really close, but haven’t really been in touch with each other for a while. When Nicole arrives, the reason for this is revealed, although not straight away.

There’s a new relationship for Milly and her mother and slowly for Nicole too. Secrets kept over the years come to light.

I highly recommend this book.

Milly and Nicole have been friends since school and have always been there for each other so, eighteen months ago when she needed support, she called the one person she thought she could rely on and Nicole ignored her, Milly still doesn't know why but she picked up her life and carried on, concentrating on her teenage daughter Zoe and her family business. Out of the blue she receives a call from Nicole desperate for somewhere private to hide and she's hoping that Milly will let her stay with her in the Lake District and, even though she still hasn't forgiven her friend, she finds herself saying yes. As the weeks pass they begin to get their friendship back on track and put the past behind them, until a secret is revealed that completely floors Millie and tests the bond they have once more, will they ever come back from this?

A Secret Escape is the latest heartwarming and emotional novel from Morgan which follows the lives of Milly and her family, told predominantly from the perspectives of Milly and Nicole we are introduced to some wonderful characters within these pages, two of my favourites being Nanna Peg for her warmth and wisdom and Zoe who, considering she was only thirteen, was very grown up and a credit to her mum. This story highlighted the strength of friendship and the importance of family, holding on to both of those things and making the most of life, its a tale of secrets and betrayals and the need to be loved and Morgan captured this and so much more within the pages of this book. A truly inspiring story that shows even though you may think something is broken there's always a way of fixing it, you just have to want to.

I'd like to thank HQ and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

A lifelong friendship

A call for help

A summer to reconnect…

Can the friends come together in this time of need, or will this summer break their bond forever?
•
I absolutely adore Sarah Morgan books, so much so that my bookish friends and I always pick one up during the festive season to get us in the mood. Again, another great read, filled with love and friendships.

Begins with Milly who is now divorced waiting at the train station for her childhood friend Nicole, who is now a successful actress rings Milly out of the blue asking for help. She can’t quite move past why Nicole hasn’t been in touch even when her life fell apart and yet she has the nerve to call her after all this time.
•
This was such a wholesome story on family and friendships. Sarah executed both characters beautifully and ofcause Nanna Peg who made it even better.

I love Sarah’s ability to write relatable stories on friendships and always leave you thinking about those who are in your life.

Thank you Netgalley, HQ and the author for sending me an Advance Reader Copy ✨

A lovely read, set around four generations of one family.

Milly works at her family's holiday rental business in the Lake District, which sounded idyllic, both the cabins and the setting. She has recently split with her husband so Milly and her daughter now live in a cabin on the waterfront, with her mother and grandmother close by.

Then Milly gets an SOS call from her old friend Nicole, a well known actress living in the US, as there has been an incident and she needs to lie low for a while. They used to be very close but hadn't spoken in a while and once Nicole gets there this reason is slowly revealed.

There is plenty of romance going on too, with new relationships for Milly's mother, Milly herself and eventually Nicole, and certain issues and secrets are uncovered as the story goes on.

A really lovely laid back story with relatable characters that you really wanted to get their happy ever after, which they did.

Milly runs a holiday retreat in the Lake District with her mother and grandmother, whilst also looking after her teenage daughter Zoe. She divorced her husband Richard 18 months previously, but was heartbroken when she also lost contact with her best friend Nicole, a famous film star. She is therfore surprised when she is asked by Nicole whether she could hide out with her, arriving in disguise late at night.
This is a very emotional book that I absolutely loved, I'm not sure why books such as this one affect me so much, perhaps it's reading about someone else's misery makes me feel lucky in the life that I have. It is not a depressing book, however, rather showing the power of friendship and how this can support you when things are hard. Highly recommended, I devoured this book in one day.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

This explores the power and intricacies of true friendship. Not an easy path as found by the 2 main characters who have been friends since childhood. They both become successful women who move apart but when the chips are down come true for each other

Absolutely loved this latest book from the fabulous Sarah Morgan.
She is one of my highest rated go-to authors and I look forward to her twice yearly new books.
The characters and setting in this one were amazing as always,
I loved how both Milly and Nicole's stories unfolded and was rooting for both of them, in their separate dilemmas and also their friendship.
Highly recommend to all!