This Christmas, the Balfour family will have more secrets to unwrap than presents…

Becky is stranded at the airport, so when she bumps into her brother’s best friend, Will, and he suggests they drive home together, Becky reluctantly agrees. For the first time, Becky is dreading Christmas, and only Will knows why. Can she trust him to keep her secret?

Her twin sister, Rosie, married Declan after a whirlwind romance, and now the cracks are starting to appear. Rosie and Declan have agreed to hide their problems from her family, but Rosie’s insecurities are growing. Will this Christmas bring them closer or drive them apart?

Hayley can’t wait for her first Balfour family Christmas with Jamie. The Balfour Christmas traditions sound wonderful, but she’s worried about her place in this close-knit family. Will there be room for her, too? And how will they react to the secret she and Jamie have been keeping?

Despite everyone’s best intentions, all the chaos and confusion could derail their normally happy holidays. Can they tell each other the truth in time to enjoy a perfect family Christmas?

~Standalone Title~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  A Merry Little Lie
Series:  ~Standalone~
Author:  Sarah Morgan
Published:  October 7, 2025
Publisher:  Canary Street Press/Harlequin
My Rating:  4.5 stars

It has become a tradition for me that every year I make sure that the newest Christmas Romance written by Sarah Morgan is among my early Holiday Reading Season books.  A Merry Little Lie takes the spotlight this year, and it’s an enjoyable, believable, even relatable family Christmas tale that most of us will recognize no matter how large or small our families happen to be… There is “always” Christmas drama in every family. I frankly don’t know how to do the Holidays without some mixed in.  You, too?  Then you’ll enjoy visiting with the Balfour family to see how their drama matches up to yours.

Relationships are… complicated.  Doesn’t matter if they’re romantic or all about family dynamics, complicated is probably an understatement for those family members gathered for the Balfour Christmas celebration.  

There’s Jenny, mom to Jamie, and twin daughters, Becky and Rosie.  She’s frantically putting together the house for Christmas, making certain everything is perfect for the return of her clan and their significant others.  Although it would be helpful if her recently retired husband got out of his “mood” to pitch in a bit more.  

Becky is hiding a secret, one that only her brother’s best friend, Will, knows about.  For the first time ever, she’s not looking forward to going home for Christmas with this secret hanging over her.  When she’s stranded at the airport, she’ll grudgingly accept a ride home with Will, hoping that her secret is safe with him.

Rosie, Becky’s twin, is facing major troubles in her whirlwind marriage with Declan.  They are total opposites in personality, and it’s starting to show, slowly tearing down their perfect relationship.

And Jamie is bringing his girlfriend, Haley, home for the holidays.  No one knows of the announcement they’re about to make, which will change the dynamics of his family forever.

I loved everything about A Merry Little Lie.  Told from the viewpoint of each of the women in the story, we’ll slowly be shown the cracks in this “typical” family, and then the ways that they each deal with a new reality for them all.  If you love an engaging, emotional Holiday tale that’s well-written and relatable, then you’d love A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan.  Enjoy.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)