Monday, 9 November 2026

Secrets Of A Winter Escape, by Sue Moorcroft

As regular readers of the blog will know, I've been friends with Sue Moorcroft since we first met at the Kettering Writers Group in 1999 (we genre writers were consigned to the back of the room, where we had a great laugh).  Since then she's gone from strength to strength, hitting number one in the Kindle Bestseller charts (with The Christmas Promise) on her way to becoming a Sunday Times Best Seller, while her novel A Summer To Remember won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award 2020.  As well as featuring her a lot on blog (to see more, click this link), I'm pleased to be part of the blog tour for her latest novel, Secrets Of The Italian Guesthouse, which has just been published in paperback and e-book. This also marks the second novel of the trilogy as part of her new deal for The Legacy Trilogy with Quercus Books, an imprint of John Murray Press.

Will this be a Christmas to remember?

Christmas should be the most wonderful time of year. But for Erin, who's just lost the job that she loves, it's anything but. Down on her luck, the only gift she wants is escape...

So, Erin returns to Lake Como, home to the pensione she inherited from the grandmother she never met. The city sparkles with the magic of the season, and the guests provide a welcome distraction from the life that Erin has left behind.

As the snow begins to fall, Erin finds herself staying in the room next door to Caleb, an injured footballer who's eager to avoid the prying eyes of the press. With emotional baggage bigger than his suitcases, he's a complication that her bruised heart doesn't need. But when Caleb lights Erin up like Como's illuminations, will she admit that all she wants for Christmas is him?

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My review - The second in the Three Sisters trilogy, this follows on directly from “Secrets Of The Italian Guesthouse” and tells the story of Erin, sister number two, raised by her single mum Lisa in Scotland. After a break-up, losing her job and enduring a birthday party that isn’t what it seems, Erin leaves Scotland to spend time with Jade at the Three Sisters Pensione. There, after details of the tragic event which kind of led to all her woes becomes apparent, Erin meets the footballer next door, Caleb, who is recovering from a broken leg and his own relationship troubles. As the two combine forces – his determination to get back into the game and her marketing skills – things begin to happen but, since this is a Sue Moorcroft novel, there are plenty of obstacles in the way.

As usual with a book by Sue, characterisation is key and it was interesting going into this, having been introduced to the character in a previous novel but now seeing her in a new light. Erin is strong, independent, vulnerable, hurt but quite joyous in her way and seeing the relationship between her and Caleb – another stellar creation – grow is a real delight. And it all flows so easily too, which means you start to read and then look up a dozen or so pages later, swept along by the assured storytelling. Como is a character in and of itself and there’s plenty of spot-on description to make you feel like you’re standing in that glorious town in the midst of Christmas celebrations. 

With a varied and well sketched supporting cast, the chance to re-meet the other sisters and a compelling story that races along, I’d say this was another winner. Very much recommended!

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Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her novels have reached #1 on Kindle UK and Top 100 on Kindle US, Canada, Germany and Italy. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Novel of the Year, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award, two HOLT Medallions and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She’s a past president of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

Born into an army family in Germany, Sue spent much of her childhood in Cyprus and Malta but settled in Northamptonshire at the age of ten. An avid reader, she also loves Formula 1, travel, family and friends, dance exercise and yoga.


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