Item: The Christmas Escape
Rating: 5.00
Author: bookanonjeff

by Sarah Morgan

‘A glorious and festive read’ Cathy Kelly, Sunday Times bestseller

‘Absolutely stunning, with gorgeous characters and even more gorgeous locations. You will fall head over heels! An exquisite escape – the perfect Christmas read to get you in the mood’ Veronica Henry, Sunday Times bestseller

‘This romantic, wintry read is perfect for a cosy night curled up by the fire’ Woman’s Own

‘This is Sarah's best Christmas novel yet. It's got it all: romance, escapism, heartache, redemption, secrets . . . I really enjoyed it. Sarah is as much a Christmas staple as mince pies!’ Laura Jane Williams, bestselling author of Our Stop

‘Utterly magical’ Alex Brown, bestselling author of A Postcard from Paris

* * *

It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas escape – a dream trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix. But facing a make-or-break marriage crisis, Christy desperately needs time alone with her husband, Seb. Her solution? Alix, along with Seb’s oldest friend, Zac, can take Christy’s daughter on the planned Lapland trip, and they will all reunite there for Christmas Day. After all, what are friends for?

There’s nothing Alix won’t do for Christy, but Christy’s plan to save Christmas is testing their friendship. Especially as Alix and Zac have a difficult history of their own.

As long-held secrets unravel, and unexpected romance shines under the Northern Lights, can Christy and Alix find the courage to fight for the relationships they really want? And could this Christmas escape save the precious gift of each other’s friendship?

* * *

Readers have fallen in love with The Christmas Escape

‘One of my favourite books this year, The Christmas Escape is the perfect festive read’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A must for any reader looking for some Christmas cheer and I can’t recommend it enough for the festive season!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is storytelling at its very best. Put aside some quiet time and curl up and read this fantastic heartwarming and enjoyable book’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Sarah Morgan writes THE BEST Christmas books, full of winter warmth, charm and festive feels’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Would It Be Christmas Without Family Drama? This book has a LOT going on, and yes, it does in fact more blend the women's fiction and romance genres than play strictly by either one. (Though it *does* meet all of the "qualifications" for either even according to the strictest interpretations of the "rules" I am aware of, for those that care about such trivialities.) Your *basic* plot threads are these: married couple with problems working to reconcile, forced proximity romance, best friend issues between the two women in the aforementioned couples, long lost family/ traumatic secrets. Which in 350 ish pages is a LOT to work through, but Morgan does it well and never drags too much at any given point. The Lapland scenery is described beautifully (at least as I've seen the region on such shows as The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals on Netflix, this American has never been further North than New Hampshire), and the cold and isolation provide some amazing (and "traditionally" - for northerners) "Christmassy" vibes. This story is a bit more serious and complex than a usual Hallmark Christmas movie, and doesn't rely as heavily on "Christmas Magic", but instead serves as a more realistic take on a Christmas Romance - which is needed in the overly saturated market. Very much recommended.

The Christmas Escape

by Sarah Morgan

Reviewed by Jeff Sexton on Oct 8, 2021

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