Review - - A Merry Little Lie

A Merry Little Lie

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: October 7, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

This Christmas, the Balfour family will have more secrets to unwrap than presents…

Becky is stranded at the airport, so when she bumps into her brother’s best friend, Will, and he suggests they drive home together, Becky reluctantly agrees. For the first time, Becky is dreading Christmas, and only Will knows why. Can she trust him to keep her secret?

Her twin sister, Rosie, married Declan after a whirlwind romance, and now the cracks are starting to appear. Rosie and Declan have agreed to hide their problems from her family, but Rosie’s insecurities are growing. Will this Christmas bring them closer or drive them apart?

Hayley can’t wait for her first Balfour family Christmas with Jamie. The Balfour Christmas traditions sound wonderful, but she’s worried about her place in this close-knit family. Will there be room for her too? And how will they react to the secret she and Jamie have been keeping?

Despite everyone’s best intentions, all the chaos and confusion could derail their normally happy holidays. Can they tell each other the truth in time to enjoy a perfect family Christmas?

PJ's Thoughts:

I always look forward to reading Sarah Morgan's annual Christmas novel. In this year's book, A Merry Little Lie, we meet the Balfour family: mom, dad, grandparents, and three adult children (plus partners), all gathering for a family holiday celebration, possibly the last one where everyone is present. The grandparents are growing older (but no less feisty), the parents are transitioning (not that successfully) to retirement, and the adult children are pairing up (with only one of the three couples being a ruse...maybe) so it's anyone's guess where they will all be next Christmas. It could be their last hurrah...or the beginning of new traditions...or the validation of how much they all love celebrating together...if they make it through this Christmas. Love is strong but tensions are high and more than a few relationships are tenuous. It's a time of joy, uncertainty, fun, surprises, celebrations, and human struggles - a combination of emotions right up Morgan's alley. And mine. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Morgan has assembled three generations of characters and the assorted issues facing them at their various stages of life. I found all of them to be authentic, relatable, and easy to root for. Of course, there are messy family and couple situations and emotions to contend with which are handled flawlessly. The characters and their individual journeys are woven together into an intriguing family tapestry where each individual is given due attention while also being a balanced part of the whole. There's sibling tension, marital tension, holiday fun, meddling family members, humor, and romance to keep the story moving right up to a red-ribbon-wrapped, holiday happy ending. 

Reading this book felt like being an invited guest in the Balfour home and experiencing all of the heart-tugging interactions and emotions right along with the members of the family. I loved it.