A Secret Escape By Arya Walton - SIGNED Copy
Two years of longing.
One night that changes everything.
A steamy contemporary romance with a thriller-like plot twist.
Age gap
Office romance
Contemporary romance
Romantic suspense
Forced proximity
Buying direct from PaperWild gets you a personalised copy signed by the author.
Lila
For the first time in years, my life isn’t a complete disaster. I have a job I love, an apartment of my own, and friends who show up. There’s just one thing missing.
Marcus Andersson. The impossibly brilliant, devastatingly handsome Creative Director who turns my brain to mush with a single glance.
Smart, successful and nearly twenty years older than me, Marcus is everything I know I can’t have.
I never thought I’d have the courage to cross that line – until one drunk kiss at a work event changes everything.
Marcus
I’ve spent two years telling myself all the reasons I should keep my distance from her. Too young. Too innocent. My colleague. But I’ve led the nation’s most successful marketing campaigns with less conviction than I feel for Lila.
So when she kisses me – wild, untamed and unexpected – all my carefully constructed excuses crumble.
Our first date should have been perfect.
Instead, a car speeds away, leaving a man dead.
And when Lila becomes a target, I know one truth with burning clarity:
I will destroy anyone who tries to harm her.
No matter the cost.
A Secret Escape is a super sweet and spicy romantic suspense featuring a 20 year age gap, a bright and bubbly young woman and the emotionally guarded man who tried his hardest not to fall for her. When a threat from her past forces them together, sparks fly and self-control crumbles. If you love slow-burn longing, intense chemistry, and a relationship where she falls first but he falls harder, then Marcus and Lila's story is for you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 August 2025
Fantastic slow burn romance
What a great romance story with a thriller element I hadn't expected. The pacing was just right and I found the steamy parts extremely well written, not rushed or randomly thrown in, but perfectly descriptive and nicely drawn out using language that really brought those moments to life allowing me as a reader to immerse myself in the book and the relationship between Lila and Marcus who are both extremely likeable. I would love to read more from these two or perhaps from other characters from the book? Looking forward to reading more booked by Arya.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 June 2025
Review of A Secret Escape
This is a fabulous, spicy contemporary romance with a thriller edge 🤩
It's a slow burn workplace romance, with an age gap and HEA! 😍
The chemistry between the MCs is fabulous and so hot! 🔥 u can feel it rolling off the pages! 🫶
The thriller element comes in when the MC's are on their first date! When our FMC's shady past comes back to haunt her! I can't say any more without spoiling the story, but the tension and suspense this element of the story creates is fab 👌 😀
The MMC is amazing! He is strong and protective ❤️ Marcus definitely makes it into the realms of the book boyfriends!! 🤪😂😂
I would thoroughly recommend picking this book up 😀 An easy 5⭐️'s from me! ❤️
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 June 2025
Great book!
I had the pleasure of reading this before its official release, and I was completely hooked from start to finish!
The slow-burn romance between Lila and Marcus had me turning pages late into the night. The “will-they-won’t-they” tension was brilliant, and just when I thought I had it all figured out—bam! A twist packed with danger and suspense totally caught me off guard.
The steamy moments were tastefully written, with just the right level of spice, and the ending? Absolutely spot on.
One of the best reads I’ve picked up in a while, especially from a new-to-me author. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more—highly recommend!
Arya Walton
24 June 2025
