Book Review: A Merry Little Lie
A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan will be released in the United States on Oct 7, 2025.
A Merry Little Lie is a lighthearted, cozy, and fun holiday read! It is heartwarming without being corny. I have read several books by Sarah Morgan and I found this book to be faster-paced than several of the others, which I enjoyed.
A Merry Little Lie is a funny, romantic tale of fake dating, friends to lovers, and lots of Christmas cheer. Things get crazy when Becky tells a “merry little lie” and ends up fake-dating Will, who she has always considered a friend. (Will is a older brother Jamie’s best friend).
Becky is trying to hide her true feelings from her twin sister Rosie, herself, and even long-time friend, the very handsome and charming and genuinely kind Will.
Rosie is struggling in her new marriage and worried about new distance in her relationship with her twin, Becky.
Hayley is Jamie’s new girlfriend and nervous to share their surprise announcement and meet the Balfour family for the first time, but excited for her first real family Christmas after growing up in foster care.
Jenny is the mom who is trying to pull off the perfect Christmas for the Balfour family; she’s finding that balancing the needs of her retired husband and three adult children is overwhelming.
My Thoughts
I love a holiday romance, but I don’t like it when the characters are not well-developed or the plot seems too formulaic. Not A Merry Little Lie! With the fake dating trope, I thought in this case, Becky and Will actually had a good reason for fake dating. It didn’t just seem like a plot device. I also love a friends-to-lovers tale, especially at Christmastime.
Usually when a book is written from multiple perspectives, there are certain characters and voices I like the most. Have you ever been tempted to skip the chapter of a character you do not click with? Same. Yet in this case, I liked and related to something about all four women. I even had tears in my eyes when Rosie, Becky, and Jenny reflected on how lucky they are after seeing their family Christmas traditions and experiences through Hayley’s eyes.
Merry Little Lie will definitely make my top 10 list of holiday reads this year! In November, I will be posting a top 10 list of 2025 holiday novels and a 12 Days of Christmas of all-time favorite holiday reads from past years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
