How To Keep A Secret

Sarah Morgan

Jun 2018 · HarperCollins UK

About this ebook

Pre-order your copy of Sarah Morgan’s new novel The Summer Swap now – coming May 2024!

‘I absolutely loved this book . . . I was captivated until the end’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘From the start of the book I was hooked, gently pulled into the lives of Nancy, Lauren and Jenna and their complicated history’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘If I could rate higher I would. As always Sarah's books are outstanding. It had such a great feel-good vibe to the story . . . Can't wait for the next one’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fantastic story. So many layers to it and not at all what I expected. Brilliantly written and scorching’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* * *

This summer one family will discover that together, they can do anything.

Matriarch Nancy knows she hasn't been the best mother but how can she ever tell her daughters the reason why? Lauren and Jenna are as close as two sisters can be and they made a pact years ago to keep a devastating secret from their mother – but is it time to come clean? Lauren's teenage daughter Mackenzie masks her own pain by keeping her mother at a distance. Her mother, aunt and grandmother keep trying to reach her but will it take a stranger to show her the true meaning of family?

When life changes in an instant, the Stewart women are thrown together for a summer and suddenly they must relearn how to be a family. And whilst unravelling their secrets might be their biggest challenge, it could also be their finest moment . . .

* * * *

Praise for How to Keep a Secret:

‘Joyful, uplifting and overflowing with love’ Cathy Bramley

‘Comfort reading at its best’ Veronica Henry

‘A warm, wonderful rich story told with care and skill that broke my heart and then put it back together again’ Alex Brown

‘A master storyteller’ Laura Jane Williams

‘I loved every sparkly, big-hearted, warm-hug moment’ Miranda Dickinson

‘A delightful escape’ Woman & Home

Ratings and reviews

​I do love Sarah Morgan's books, and this was a slight detour from her usual fare, in that it is more womens fiction I suppose, as opposed to the just one couple romance books she usually writes. This book is mainly about two sisters (Lauren & Jenna) and their Mother (Nancy). They all lived on Martha's Vineyard growing up, but both sisters are now married with Jenna and Nancy still living in the same place, but Lauren has moved to England with her husband and has been living there many years, with their teenage daughter Mack. There are lots of secrets floating around, starting with one the two sisters have hidden since their illicit outing to a beach one night when they were young, which reveals itself as the book goes on. Their Mother has been a very hands-off Mother, an artist who was more involved in her work than her children, and so they are not very close. But then various disasters happen with both sisters and their Mother and the women from the three generations are thrown together on Martha's Vineyard, where they slowly start to work through problems and get to know each other as a family again, instead of just acquaintances who happen to be related to each other. I did find it slightly slow in the beginning, but I understand that the groundwork was being laid for the rest of the story, and it most definitely got better as it went along. Mack, the 16 year old daughter/niece/granddaughter, was really hard work to begin with. I know she's 16 and at 'that age' but she was a right brat and really irritating at times. She may have had her issues, but they all did. But luckily enough she started to work through her issues and settle into her new life becoming a much nicer and more thoughtful, confident person. Quite an emotionally charged book and a change from the lighter, more humorous fare usually associated with Sarah Morgan. This book was much more about family relationships, with a touch of romance in it. A really good book that I got totally immersed in and didn't want to finish by the end. I hope there is another book set here as I want to know how they are all getting on - more please Sarah Morgan!

Slow, boring snorefest.

I absolutely loved this book. there needs to be another carrying the story on. would love to see what happens 🙂

About the author

Sarah Morgan lives near London with her husband and two sons. An international bestseller, her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and she has sold over eighteen million books worldwide. For more about Sarah visit her website www.sarahmorgan.com, and sign up to her newsletter. She also loves to connect with readers on Facebook (AuthorSarahMorgan), Twitter (@SarahMorgan_) and Instagram (sarahmorganwrites).