The Perfect Hideaway: A completely gorgeous and uplifting feel-good romance

Alys Murray

Aug 2020 · Bookouture

About this ebook

Annie Martin is thrilled to have moved from the hectic buzz of L.A. to the small town of Hillsboro, Northern California, where the most happening bar only plays honky-tonk and nowhere does a good matcha latte. But the best thing about Hillsboro? The Anderson sisters. At their noisy family dinners, Annie can almost forget the mistakes she made back in the city, trying to fit in.

Annie has repaid the sisters’ friendship with some obvious-but-effective matchmaking and now there’s only one Anderson still looking for love. But Rose is surprisingly prickly about an enforced happy-ever-after, and when a meticulously planned meet-cute ends drenched in the town fountain, Annie realizes this project calls for someone with a deeper knowledge of the Hillsboro bachelors.

Local reporter and all-around grouch George Barnett has been a thorn in Annie’s side since she came to town. He knows all too well that everyone has secrets and he thinks the story of why social media darling Annie Martin swapped stilettos for sneakers might be the scoop that makes his career. Annie is sure her skeletons are under triple lock and key, so she offers him an exclusive, if he’ll help her find a match for Rose.

But the more George and Annie try to control the love lives around them, the less they’re able to sway their own hearts. As Annie’s infectious laugh begins to bring down George’s barrier of surliness, can he open his heart and let her in for real? And can Annie be brave enough to trust the man who could be her future, with the secrets of her past?

A heart-warming story of friendship and finding love in the most unlikely of places, fans of Robyn Carr, Debbie Macomber and Carolyn Brown will adore The Perfect Hideaway.

Readers love The Perfect Hideaway:

“I love this series… heartwarming and uplifting, it made me laugh and root for the characters but it also moved me to tears because it’s the story of two hurt and lonely people who meet and change their life.” Scrapping and Playing, 5 stars

“Alys Murray has hit another home run for me with this book… I just could not wait to turn each page to see what was going to happen.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“A wonderfully, heartfelt and charming novel. If you enjoy the lovey, butterflies in your stomach and heart melting moments Hallmark movies deliver, then you’re going to absolutely love this… wonderful romance novel that shouldn’t be missed.” Tamsterdam Reads, 5 stars

“Feel-good romance that genuinely had me laughing out loud!… The perfect book to read whilst you’re chilling with a your feet up and a glass of wine/cup of tea!” Curled Up With a Good Book, 5 stars

“I fell in love with The Perfect Hideaway right from the beginning. Annie, George and Rose made me laugh and cry with their quick wit and insecurities… Alys Murray is one of my new favorite authors!” Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

“I absolutely adored this little romantic gem of a book.” Netgalley reviewer

“Gorgeous story… Alys Murray has found the perfect recipe for romance and her stories are enchanting. Enjoy, you’re in for a treat.” Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

“Charming romantic book… kept me hooked into the book until the end.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“A wonderful read for a summer’s afternoon, a light hearted and heartfelt tale of finding love in the unlikeliest of places.” Tales of a Natural Spoonie, 5 stars

“Hopeful and happy. Flirty and fun. Alys Murray’s sweet small-town romances will touch your heart and make you smile… This was a delightful story that just made me feel good!” Audio Killed the Bookmark, 5 stars

Ratings and reviews

This was a sweet hybrid of enemies to lovers/small-town/contemporary romance/women’s fiction tale that was chaste enough for my elderly mother’s book club and still kept me entertained. I was expecting the primary focus to be placed the last Anderson sister but was surprised to see her placed in a secondary role. The main characters were at odds and distrustful of each other and wielded sharp banter and took witty and snarky bites at each other most of the way through. Although, they began to see a different side of each other after they called a truce and struck a deal to collaborate on a personal project, with humorous and amorous results that both were resisting. George was using Annie to get information for a story, and being a journalist, he did not welcome or want to acknowledge any “inconvenient feelings,” snort. The writing was easy to follow, well balanced between emotive and amusing, and teased and prodded my curiosity to learn the buried secrets and private shame that was plaguing Annie. I wasn’t on the bus for team George until the last few chapters, but he finally managed to win me over once he pulled his head from his nether regions, sometimes men deserve a little foot action to assist with the dislodging and I would have eagerly volunteered ;) I admired and coveted Mynette Chen's clever nameplate and am busy making plans to create a similar one for myself.