Review - - Five-Star Summer

Five-Star Summer

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: May 5, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Running a five-star Cornish hotel should have been Evie Hamilton’s dream job. But restoring it to its former glory is going to take a miracle. All Evie has is grit, and a hoard of unruly staff who love to speculate about her love life. She needs back-up, and fast.

Enter Abby Jones. Parachuted in by the hotel’s umbrella company for the summer, Abby thinks Evie could be the best friend she never had. But Abby has her own agenda for being in Cornwall. If her real motives are uncovered, their friendship is going to melt away faster than an ice cream in the summer sun.

Yet Abby’s arrival starts a chain reaction. With the help of a charming chef and a gruff pub owner, they begin to embrace their true selves and the bonds that unite them. But it’s not just the hotel’s five-star reputation that needs rebuilding – Evie and Abby will also have to brave tearing down their lives in order to reshape their futures…

PJ's Thoughts:

I can always count on Sarah Morgan to sweep me away to intriguing places with stories that never fail to touch my heart. With her newest novel, Five-Star Summer, that place is Cornwall and the story is another keeper I found hard to put down.

Much like Abby Jones, I found myself immersed in the rugged beauty of the Cornish coast, the charm of the village locals, and the hotel that stands as their slightly tarnished crown jewel. And, like Evie, I wanted to see that hotel restored to her previous glory. But the story is more than just the hotel. So much more.

Relationships are something Sarah Morgan excels at creating and she's at her best in this book. There's the friendship that grows between Abby and Evie. I love these two, how they bond over the summer as they work together with their shared goal; how they learn from one another, share confidences, encourage one another to live their best lives. But there are also secrets simmering below the surface because, of course. It couldn't be that easy, right?

Then, there are the relationships between Evie and the hotel staff, people who have known her since birth and are having trouble letting go of behaviors honed over 20+ years. The gradual changes that have to happen for Evie to be successful - and happy - are organic and believable.

Romance isn't at the forefront of this story but it absolutely hold a place for both Abby and Evie. I enjoyed both of the men at the heart of their romantic journeys.

And, finally, it wouldn't be a Sarah Morgan book without messy, emotional, life-altering family dynamics. This time, the secrets that unfold hold more than a few unexpected surprises that add depth, growth, and heart-tugging emotion to more than one happy ending. 

Five-Star Summer has my enthusiastic recommendation for your summer reading list. 

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. 

Review - - Other People's Summers

Other People's Summers

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: May 6, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

In school, Milly Beckett and Nicole Raven were as close as sisters. Now, years later, a gulf separates them, and not just because of the different spheres they inhabit. Nicole is a global superstar with the world at her fingertips, but when scandal breaks, she turns to the only person she trusts.

Fresh from a painful divorce and struggling to balance her work and raising her daughter alone, Milly is tempted to refuse her friend’s plea for help. Nicole wasn’t there for her when she needed her most, and that’s hard to forgive. But Nicole is desperate and Milly agrees to give her the sanctuary she needs.

Against a stunning Lake District backdrop, stilted small talk gradually gives way to soul-deep revelations as the two women slowly find their way back to one another. Living with Milly gives Nicole a glimpse of a different path for herself, and Milly starts to see a life beyond her divorce, including the possibility of a new romance. But Nicole can’t stay hidden forever—and neither can the secret she’s been keeping from Milly, a secret that threatens both her future happiness and the fragile bond between them.

PJ's Thoughts:

My summer reading list would not be complete without a new novel by Sarah Morgan. This talented storyteller never fails to take me on a heart-tugging journey with complex characters and complicated relationships.

One of the relationship types Morgan seems to enjoy exploring - and does so skillfully in this book - is friendship. It's a topic to which most of us can relate. I enjoy how she peels back the layers of the friendship between Milly and Nicole, exposing the nuances of the stretched but not completely broken bond between the two women, revealing the reasons behind their estrangement, and then inviting us along the slow, sometimes painful, but ultimately joyful journey to reconciliation. Sometimes, it's those personal potholes in life that, once repaired, forge a stronger, more durable future. It's a story facet that Morgan crafts exceptionally well.

The secondary cast surrounding Milly and Nicole provide texture that only enrichens the overall story. Milly's grandmother (who has some of the best - and funniest - lines in the book), along with her mother (who has her own personal journey), and her daughter are well developed and intriguing characters in their own right. Two men (I love them both) offer respect, understanding, and hopeful possibilities to Milly and Nicole. Even Milly's ex has a realistic redemption (she's still better off without him). 

If you're looking for a hopeful and heartfelt story about two women, the ties that bind them, the secrets that have kept them apart, and the summer that brings them back together, pick up a copy of Sarah Morgan's Other People's Summers. I highly recommend it. 

Review - - The Holiday Cottage

The Holiday Cottage

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: September 24, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

To the outside world, Imogen is a marketing dynamo. Her colleagues don’t know that while her high-achieving professional image is real, the happy childhood stories she spins are as fake as her pretend enthusiasm for Christmas. Working 24/7 has always been her solution to surviving the festive season—until burnout leads to a catastrophic blunder.

Suddenly, Imogen is handed a holiday gift she definitely doesn’t want: enforced time off work to recuperate. Then an invitation arrives from her favorite client, Dorothy, to stay at her guest cottage in the Cotswolds. From the thatched roof to the cozy open fireplace, Holly Cottage is a picture-perfect haven… Can it provide the fresh start Imogen so desperately needs?

For Dorothy, helping Imogen offers a longed-for chance to make reparations for her own past. But as her daughter Sara keeps reminding her, it brings risks, too. Yet Dorothy knows that only a leap of courage will allow her family to grow and heal. And perhaps this Christmas, with Dorothy’s help, the new life that Imogen is slowly piecing together could be better than anything either of them could imagine…

PJ's Thoughts:

I always look forward to Sarah Morgan’s Christmas books. I can count on an emotional journey in a vividly depicted winter setting with intriguing family dynamics and significant character growth. All of that holds true for The Holiday Cottage though this one, while good, falls a bit short of the 5-star read Morgan typically provides. At least it did for me.

I had a difficult time getting into the first half of the book or feeling a connection to Imogen. The pace dragged and I found myself putting the book aside several times. I just wasn’t being pulled in as I usually am with this author. I kept going however and eventually the pace picked up as did the interest. From the midpoint on the story takes off and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I’m glad I stuck with it because the second half was everything I enjoy about Morgan’s writing, including a picturesque setting, Christmas tree farms, adorable children, romance, complicated relationships, and discovering the joy of the holiday season.

I enjoyed the different perspectives of Imogen, her favorite client Dorothy, and Dorothy’s daughter Sara. There are complex family dynamics that play out over the course of the book as well as significant individual growth for all three women. There is also a romance for Imogen that, while a bit quick, still left me feeling confident in the long-term stability of the relationship. There’s also a significant story thread for Imogen that’s left open-ended. I was really hoping to see on-the-page closure. Other than that, however, I was happy with the way the book concluded. Even if it’s not among my favorites of this author’s books, a Sarah Morgan novel is still a good read and well worth my time. 

Review - - The Summer Swap

The Summer Swap

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Cecilia Lapthorne always vowed she’d never go back to Dune Cottage. So no one is more surprised than Cecilia to find herself escaping her seventy-fifth birthday party to return to the remote Cape Cod cottage—a place filled with memories. Some are good—especially memories of the early days with her husband, volatile artist Cameron.  But then there are the memories she has revealed to no one.

After dropping out of medical school, aspiring artist Lily is cleaning houses on the Cape to get by, guilt-ridden for disappointing her parents. Unoccupied for years, Dune Cottage seems the perfect place to hide away and lick her wounds—until Cecilia unexpectedly arrives. Despite an awkward beginning, Lily accepts Cecilia’s invitation to stay on as her guest, and a flicker of kinship ignites.

Then Todd, Cecilia’s grandson—and Lily’s unrequited crush—shows up, sending a shock wave through their unlikely friendship.  Will Lily find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new…

PJ's Thoughts:

I always look forward to a new novel by Sarah Morgan. She writes stories I can sink into, characters who are intriguing and relatable, and settings that bring everything together in a vibrant, visceral way. The Summer Swap is another shining example of all the facets that make a Sarah Morgan book hard to put down. 

I love character-driven stories and Morgan's are among the best. I appreciate the way she develops her characters, giving them a multitude of layers, realistic flaws, and challenges. The three primary women in this book are of different generations, each at a defining crossroads in her life, each facing a different set of challenges, and yet each with something of value to teach - and learn from - one another. 

Relationships: that's something else Morgan writes especially well. The way the relationships among these women - as well as romantic relationships for each of them - weave together is flawless, encompassing all the emotion and strife to be expected from real-life situations when secrets, betrayals, forgiveness, and unexpected new beginnings are at play. Whether family, friends, business partners, adversaries, or romance, Morgan's ability to guide her characters through the complicated peaks and valleys of difficult relationships, delivering them to the other side - usually happier, stronger, and more complete - is one of the main reasons her books resonate so strongly and are always on my must-buy list. This one is no exception. I loved it the first time through. I'll probably love it even more when I revisit it, likely sometime this summer, as Sarah Morgan once again carries me away to cozy cottages, sandy beaches, and the soft, sultry breezes of a summer's day on a coastal island.

Add The Summer Swap to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it. 

 

Review - - The Book Club Hotel

The Book Club Hotel: A Christmas Novel

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: September 19, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

With its historic charm and picture-perfect library, the Maple Sugar Inn is considered the winter destination. As the holidays approach, the inn is fully booked with guests looking for their dream vacation. But widowed far too young, and exhausted from juggling the hotel with being a dedicated single mom, Hattie Coleman dreams only of making it through the festive season.

But when Erica, Claudia and Anna—lifelong friends who seem to have it all—check in for a girlfriends’ book club holiday, it changes everything. Their close friendship and shared love of books have carried them through life's ups and downs. But Hattie can see they're also packing some major emotional baggage, and nothing prepares her for how deeply her own story is about to become entwined in theirs.

In the span of a week over the most enchanting time of the year, can these four women come together to improve each other’s lives and make this the start of a whole new chapter?

PJ's Thoughts:

When I open the cover of Sarah Morgan's annual holiday novel each year, I know I'm about to be immersed into a story filled with friendship, love, complex relationships, emotional depth, and a heartfelt, deeply satisfying conclusion. Morgan's newest offering, The Book Club Hotel, brings all that and more.

Morgan creates a setting for this newest book that is so vibrant and realistic that I'm sure it has to be nestled in a quaint New England town waiting for readers to arrive. I want to explore the town, spend too much money on new sweaters, take way too many photos of the lovely decorations, then enjoy a leisurely walk back to the Maple Sugar Inn before cuddling up in the Inn's library with hot chocolate, a cozy blanket, and a good book. I want to do it all and I want to do it with the four women - and one little girl - who make this book shine.

Sarah Morgan is a master of characterization. The women in this novel, both primary and secondary, are beautifully developed, continuing to grow and evolve as their intertwined stories unfold. I love the ebb and flow of the friendships, both old and new, that are explored, especially the inter-generational relationships that form among characters ranging from forty to five. The five-year-old is a special delight!

While there are (enjoyable) romance threads with happy outcomes, the primary focus of this book is on the journeys of these women, on the themes of friendship and found family, of forgiveness, of discovering your path, your joy, and moving forward to claim it. I laughed with them, cried with them, and couldn't bring myself to set their story aside until I reached the final page. Then, all I wanted to do was go back to the beginning and experience it all over again.

I highly recommend adding The Book Club Hotel to your holiday reading list. It's a charming, heart-tugging, gift to yourself that readers should not miss. 

Review - - The Island Villa

The Island Villa

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: May 2, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

A messy family drama and a steamy little romance unfold under the Mediterranean sun for the perfect summer escape…

Celebrated romance author Catherine Swift has topped the bestseller lists for decades, though her personal story hasn’t been quite so successful. Three failed marriages have left her relationship with her daughters strained, but that’s about to be rectified. Engaged yet again, Catherine is counting on this wedding to be what finally brings them together as a family, and she’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Adeline doesn’t know what’s worse—that her mother is getting married a fourth time, or that she’s being guilted into witnessing the train wreck at Catherine’s luxury villa in Corfu. It brings back the pain of her parents’ split, of her mother’s infidelity and the baby that was the result. Not that she blames her half sister, Cassie, but then she’s never made an effort to know her, either.

Cassie, on the other hand, is thrilled by her mother’s news and admires Catherine’s resilience. She’s equally excited about meeting the mystery groom, and at the prospect of spending her summer in Corfu, where she can process a secret of her own she’s been keeping from everyone.

As Cassie and Adeline arrive on the island, they each have very different expectations of what this week will bring—they haven’t been entirely honest with their mother about their lives, either—but in the lead-up to the wedding, all will be revealed, for better or worse.

PJ's Thoughts:

One of my most anticipated reads each year is Sarah Morgan's summer women's fiction novel. Morgan is a consummate storyteller who consistently weaves family-centric, immersive tales I mean to take my time with but almost always finish in one day. They're just that good. 

This year's book, The Island Villa, transported me to an idyllic seaside villa on the stunningly beautiful Greek island of Corfu. It's a vividly depicted backdrop for a deeply moving journey that's as emotionally tumultuous as the deep blue waters of the Med are calm. I wanted to immediately book a trip. Unlike estranged daughter, Adeline.

One of Morgan's many skills is the creation of her characters. Each of the main characters is vital to the journey traveled in this book. They are all complex, fully developed, and have individual growth arcs as well as contributing to the interwoven dynamics of the family as a whole. I enjoyed how Morgan took her time with them, especially with estranged sisters Cassie and Adeline. The events of their early years plus their years apart have molded them into vastly different people. It was obvious they would need time to come to terms with certain facts, get to know one another as adults, and, hopefully, form new bonds. I appreciated that the author gave them that time, skillfully navigating them and their relationships - both romantic and familial - through a series of unexpected peaks and valleys, especially in regards to secrets that their mother has been keeping from them, both in the present as well as the past. 

If you're looking for an immersive story (I turned the final page around 2:00 AM), set in a beautiful location, brimming with family drama, reunion romance, stunning secrets, second chances, healing, and love, add The Island Villa to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it. 

Note: if you're in the UK, be advised that this book has a different cover and title (Summer Wedding) but is the same story. 

 

Review & Giveaway - - Snowed in for Christmas

Snowed in for Christmas

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: September 20, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

 

A family gathering

This Christmas the Miller siblings have one goal—to avoid their well-meaning family’s endless stream of prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don’t intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention.

An uninvited guest

Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She’ll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn’t want to intrude on the Miller family’s perfect Christmas.

A Christmas to remember

When Lucy appears on the Miller family’s snow-covered Highland doorstep, she's mistaken for Ross’s girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they're snowed in—she can’t leave, even if she wants to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy's worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life.

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***

PJ's Thoughts:

One of my favorite holiday treats I look forward to each year is a new book from Sarah Morgan. This year's entry aims straight for the heart with a slight detour to the funny bone along the way.

Sarah Morgan is a master of setting scenes. Her descriptions bring the locations of her stories to life, fully immersing me into the story and leaving me wanting nothing more than to jet off to, in this case, a snowy village in the Highlands of Scotland. Logistically, getting snowed in with strangers a few days before Christmas isn't ideal, but in the hands Morgan, it's a sure-fire recipe for a story that kept me gleefully flipping pages from beginning to end.

With the Millers, Morgan has created a family with whom many of us can relate. I loved the dynamic among the siblings. These three are a strong unit but, like most siblings, aren't above throwing one  another under the bus if it's to their benefit. Hence, the family thinking Lucy is Ross's girlfriend when she lands on their doorstep, a scene reminiscent of some of my favorite old-school rom coms. But this story isn't only about the younger generation, their careers and romantic woes, or their complicated relationships within the family. The Miller parents, and grandmother, all have significant roles and interesting journeys of their own; everyone in this family is at a crossroads. I especially enjoyed the heart-to-heart exchanges that occur between the generations, the sometimes difficult discussions between parent and child, and the wisdom dispensed by their grandmother, in her direct and frequently hilarious way. I love multi-generation stories where each character is given a chance to shine, and to grow. Morgan is one of my favorite authors who does this so well. 

Lucy is such an endearing character. My heart ached for the heartache life had tossed her way and I couldn't help but cheer her on. Morgan draws her into the center of the Miller family's joyous holiday traditions while also showing in small, poignant ways the outsider she actually is. Don't worry, everything ends happily. In fact, everything ends happily for all the characters though the path to that end is littered with more than a few emotional pot holes. But that's life, right? 

Some of my favorite scenes in this book take place in the kitchen. Have you ever noticed how the kitchen is the hub of the home, of the family? There can be a roaring fire in the living room, a table laden with food in the dining room, but it's the kitchen where the important work takes place, where emotions are laid bare, life-changing advice is dispensed, eye-opening revelations realized. If you can't have the important conversations over tea, sizzling bacon, or the making of the family's delicious shortbread then where can you? 

If you're looking for a charming, heartwarming story to add to your holiday reading list this year, look no further than Sarah Morgan's Snowed in for Christmas. It's a gem of a treat that will no doubt have you looking for more books from this talented author...to read in your cozy kitchen while the tea steeps and your favorite cookies bake. 

Have you read Sarah Morgan? Do you have a favorite of her books?

Christmas wouldn't be complete at the Miller's house without their famous shortbread. What's your favorite holiday treat to make or eat?

Feel free to share recipes!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, September 25 will receive a print copy of Snowed in for Christmas. (Thanks to HQN for the giveaway!)

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Void where prohibited

 

Review - - Beach House Summer

Beach House Summer

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: HQN

Release Date: May 17, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

When Joanna Whitman's famous ex-husband dies in a car accident, she doesn't know what to feel. Their dysfunctional marriage held more painful secrets than she cares to remember. But when she discovers that the young woman with him in the crash is pregnant, Joanna feels compelled to act, knowing exactly how brutal the media spotlight will be on celebrity chef Cliff Whitman's ex-wife and his mysterious female friend.

Ashley Blake can't believe it when Joanna shows up in her hospital room and suggests they hide away at her beach house on a sleepy stretch of California coast. Joanna should be hating her, not helping her. But alone and pregnant, Ashley can't turn down Joanna's offer. Yet she knows that if Joanna ever found out the real reason Ashley was in that car, their tentative bond would shatter instantly.

Joanna's only goal for the summer is privacy, but her return causes major waves in the local community, especially for the man she left behind years ago. All Ashley wants is space to plan for her and her baby's future, and to avoid causing any trouble for Joanna. But as secrets spill out under the hot summer sun, this unlikely friendship is about to be put to the test.

PJ's Thoughts:

Necessary ingredients for a successful Saturday: warm sunshine, a comfy chair, a cold beverage, and a Sarah Morgan novel. I had all four today and it was glorious.

Morgan is a consummate storyteller, drawing me into her world effortlessly, piquing my interest with compelling plotlines, and creating intriguing, complex characters - with layers and experiences that beg to be explored - who invariably bring a plethora of this reader's emotions to the surface.

Beach House Summer has three main female characters at crossroads in their lives. There's Joanna, a 40-year-old woman with the unexpected opportunity for a do-over. She fled her small coastal hometown twenty years ago, never planning to return. But sometimes, the only way we can chart a new path for ourselves, both internally and externally, is by returning to the place and people we left behind. 

Mel is one of the people who was left behind when Joanna fled all those years ago. She's never understood why Joanna abandoned their friendship but she's living with a faulty explanation of what actually happened that night twenty years earlier. Mel is facing a crossroads of her own in her relationship with her teenage daughter who is close to the age Mel was when her friendship with Joanna ended. She refuses to walk away from the chance to finally understand why Joanna, a girl who was more sister than friend, didn't consider Mel important enough to stay in touch. But maybe she needs to examine a few things about herself too.

Ashley, the youngest of the three, is the wild card in the mix, with more than a few surprises - and unexpected twists - in her journey. Considering her situation, one would expect her to be the recipient of wise counsel from the two older women. One would be wrong.

I loved how Morgan threaded the paths of these three women together, intertwining past and present relationships in guiding them forward. There's so much growth along the way for all three, as well as acceptance, forgiveness, and genuine affection. I so enjoyed getting to know them. And I thoroughly enjoyed the other citizens of Morgan's small California town. I loved how they rallied around one another. This is a town I not only want to visit; I'd love to live there! 

Beach House Summer is women's fiction - the focus is definitely on the women - though there are romantic threads for all three of the featured characters as well, featuring a long-term, happy marriage, a best-friends-to-lovers relationship, and a second chance for Joanna and the childhood sweetheart who broke her heart all those years earlier...but just might be instrumental in creating a new opportunity for happy hearts moving forward.  

Add this one to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it.