The Christmas Secret

A novel both gripping and heartwarming, from the internationally bestselling author of Christmas Under the Stars.

Set on the beautiful island of Islay, The Christmas Secret is a gripping story filled with emotion from Karen Swan, author of Christmas Under the Stars.

Alex Hyde is the leaders' leader. An executive coach par excellence, she's the person the Great and the Good turn to when the pressure gets too much; she can change the way they think, how they operate, she can turn around the very fortunes of their companies.

Her waiting list is months' long, but even she can't turn down the unorthodox but highly lucrative crisis call that comes her way a few weeks before Christmas, regarding the troublesome - and troubled - head of an esteemed whisky company in Scotland: Lochlan Farquhar, CEO of Kentallen Distilleries, is a maverick, an enigma and a renegade, and Alex needs to get inside his head before he brings the company to its knees.

It should be business as usual. She can do this in her sleep. Only, when she gets to the remote island of Islay, with the winter snows falling, Alex finds herself out of her comfort zone. For once, she's not in control -Lochlan, though darkly charismatic, is unpredictable and destructive, her usual methods gaining no traction with him - and with Christmas and her deadline fast approaching, she must win his trust and find a way to close on this deal.

But as she pulls ever closer to him, boundaries become blurred, loyalties loosen and Alex finds herself faced with an impossible choice as she realizes nothing and no-one is as they first seemed.

'Fun and great escapism' Tracy Rees, author of The Hourglass

'I devoured it like a tray of warm mince pies. A delicious winter tale' Sarah Morgan, bestselling author of Moonlight Over Manhattan

'If you're anything like us, then a book by Karen Swan has become synonymous with Christmas, and her latest is arguably her best yet ... smart plots, brilliant characters and juicy romance' Heat

If you're anything like us, then a book by Karen Swan has become synonymous with Christmas, and her latest is arguably her best yet smart plots, brilliant characters and juicy romance

Auteur

Karen Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year - one for the summer period and one for the Christmas season. Previous summer titles include The Spanish Promise, The Hidden Beach and The Secret Path and for winter, Christmas at Tiffany's, The Christmas Secret and Together by Christmas.

Her books are known for their evocative locations and Karen sees travel as vital research for each story. She loves to set deep, complicated love stories within twisting plots.

Her historical series called The Wild Isle, is based upon the dramatic evacuation of the Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.

Texte du rabat

Alex Hyde is in demand. An executive coach par excellence, she's the person who the Great and the Good turn to when the pressure gets too much - she can change the way they think, how they operate; she can turn around the very fortunes of their companies.

Her waiting list is months' long, but even she can't turn down the highly lucrative crisis call that comes her way a few weeks before Christmas, regarding the troublesome - and troubled - head of an esteemed whisky company in Scotland. Lochlan Farquhar, CEO of Kentallen Distilleries, is a maverick, an enigma and a renegade, and Alex needs to get inside his head before he brings the company to its knees.

It should be business as usual. She can do this in her sleep. Only, when she gets to the remote island of Islay, with the winter snows falling, Alex finds herself out of her comfort zone. Memories she would rather forget come back to haunt her. For once she's not in control, but with Christmas and her deadline fast approaching, she must win Lachlan's trust.

Yet as she pulls ever closer to him, boundaries become blurred, loyalties loosen and Alex finds herself faced with an impossible choice as she realizes nothing and no one is as they first seemed.

PRAISE FOR KAREN SWAN

'Deliciously glamorous, irresistible romantic and, once started, impossible to put down' Hello!

'[A] tale of love, loss and reinvention' Marie Claire

Résumé

Set on the beautiful Scottish island of Islay, The Christmas Secret is a gripping story filled with emotion from Karen Swan, bestselling author of Christmas Under the Stars.

'I devoured it like a tray of warm mince pies. A delicious winter tale' Sarah Morgan, author of Moonlight Over Manhattan

Alex Hyde is the leaders' leader. An executive coach par excellence, she's the person the Great and the Good turn to when the pressure gets too much.

Her waiting list is months' long, but even she can't turn down the unorthodox but highly lucrative crisis call that comes her way a few weeks before Christmas, regarding the troublesome and troubled head of an esteemed whisky company in Scotland: Lochlan Farquhar is a maverick, an enigma and a renegade, and Alex needs to get inside his head before he brings the company to its knees.

It should be business as usual. She can do this in her sleep. Only, when she gets to the remote island of Islay, with the winter snows falling, Alex finds herself out of her comfort zone. For once, she's not in control Lochlan, though darkly charismatic, is unpredictable and destructive, her usual methods gaining no traction with him and with Christmas and her deadline fast approaching, she must win his trust and find a way to close on this deal.

But as she pulls ever closer to him, boundaries become blurred, loyalties loosen and Alex finds herself faced with an impossible choice as she realizes nothing and no-one is as they first seemed.

'Fun and great escapism' Tracy Rees, author of The Hourglass

'If you're anything like us, then a book by Karen Swan has become synonymous with Christmas, and her latest is arguably her best yet . . . smart plots, brilliant characters and juicy romance' Heat