Secrets of a Winter Escape (The Italian Legacy Book 2) – Sue Moorcroft | Book Review | UK Giveaway | #SecretsOfAWinterEscape @SueMoorcroft @QuercusBooks

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?

Cosy up with Secrets of a Winter Escape, the feel-good novel filled with Christmas magic. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Julie Caplin.

Publisher : Quercus
Format : Kindle | Audiobook | Paperback (5 November 2026)
Source : Ecopy to review via Netgalley

MY THOUGHTS

My thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the tour invite. I’m delighted to take part in the tour with my review and also have entry details below for a signed paperback copy and pen.

The first book in the Italian Legacy trilogy is ‘Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse‘ featuring Jade (the link takes you to my review). This second book features her half-sister Erin. You could enjoy this book without reading the first, although its best for background to read in order. It’s a few months on from when Erin and the sisters found out that they had each inherited a share of the Three Sisters Pensione. Erin is back in Scotland but due to circumstances which are revealed later, she has had her work contract terminated and is on gardening leave. At a loose end she returns to Italy – to Jade and the Pensione.

Caleb Jacobs, a well known footballer is also temporarily resident whilst he recovers from an injury. He is possibly facing the end of his career and his and Erin’s first encounter doesn’t go well.

I so enjoyed my armchair trip to Lake Como; the story is set towards the end of the year and encompasses the lead up to Christmas and beyond. The wintry descriptions were so evocative and far from being a bleak destination in winter, it sounded divine with ice rinks and Christmas lights and the delicious food and drink being consumed.

With Erin feeling quite vulnerable and defensive and Caleb’s frustration at his situation at times making him rather grumpy, any romance was not going to be easy but their journey from strangers to something more was very gently managed. As was to be expected though, nothing runs smoothly in love and emotions, difficult times and misunderstandings put any hopes of a HEA in jeopardy.

Despite their difficult start, the relationship between Jade and her sisters is blooming and it is clear to see the affection building between them. Erin and Caleb were the focus of this story, both are fabulously drawn characters, their emotions and frustrations clearly coming through but also the support they gave each other. I was rooting for both of them and hoping that all would end well, both in terms of their personal connection and their careers.

Another super story of family and love from Sue Moorcroft. I’m looking forward to the final part of the trilogy featuring the youngest sister Rosalie.

Purchase Link – https://geni.us/SecretsOfAWinterEscape

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.

Author Links: Website | X | Facebook | Insta | AmazonUK | BlueSky

*** GIVEAWAY ***

Giveaway to Win Signed copy of Secrets of a Winter Escape and Sue Moorcroft pen (Open to UK Only) *Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize. Win Signed copy of Secrets of a Winter Escape and Sue Moorcroft pen (Open to UK Only)