Cover Reveal: The Secret We Keep by Emily Catlow

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Friends, I have a cover reveal that is about to make your romance-loving heart flutter. Emily Catlow’s upcoming small-town romantic suspense, The Secret We Keep, is releasing on October 28, 2025. I am so excited to finally share this gorgeous cover with you!

This one is giving me all the feels already. It has best-friends-to-lovers tension and secrets that change everything. There’s a dash of suspense and that classic small-town setting where everyone knows everyone. You know how much I love a story where friendships turn into something deeper. I love when they become riskier. Characters carry their scars and baggage but still find the courage to step ahead.

And oh my gosh, the cover. It was designed by the talented The Little Book Designer. It’s the perfect mix of romantic and mysterious. Those “what’s really happening beneath the surface” vibes make me want to clear my calendar the second this book releases.

Let’s talk about what this story is actually about and why it’s already high on my fall TBR list.

WHAT IT IS ABOUT

From the release:

“Everyone around me seems to be growing up and moving on, while I am stuck. Isolated. Still living at home.
Until Paddy O’Keefe comes back into my life.
Our friendship blooms and our connection grows, although he refuses to cross the line into something more.
He encourages my dreams and teaches me new things. All while trying to sort through his own trauma.
But in doing so, he sees the truth: that I have to let go of the one thing I cherish most that will change my life forever.
I’m not sure if I’m strong enough to do that… Or if I’m brave enough to make the first step.
But for the first time in forever, Paddy makes me believe it might just be possible.”

This story follows Morgan, who feels stuck and left behind as everyone else around her is moving ahead. Paddy O’Keefe, a figure from her past, comes back into her life. He reignites old bonds. He gives her the courage to dream again. But this isn’t your simple friends-to-lovers story. There are secrets, traumas, and choices that shatter everything they’re building together.

It’s small-town romance at its most heartfelt. It is emotional and slow-burn. It is layered with just enough suspense to keep you wondering what Morgan’s secret really is. Can she find the strength to finally let it go?

WHY I CAN’T WAIT

Okay, you know me, I am a sucker for romance with a mix of emotional depth and suspense. When I see “romantic suspense” and “small-town romance” in the same sentence, I don’t even pause to think. I one-click, pre-order, and start clearing my reading schedule.

Here’s why this book has me extra excited:

• Friends-to-Lovers: My kryptonite. That delicious slow-burn where two people already care deeply for each other but are too scared to take the leap. I can already feel the longing stares. All the “we can’t do this” conversations are brewing in The Secret We Keep.
• Character Growth: Morgan’s story speaks to me. Haven’t we all had those moments where it feels like everyone else is moving ahead while we’re stuck in place? Watching her grow into her own strength is going to hit me right in the heart.
• Secrets & Suspense: There’s clearly something big that Morgan is holding onto, something that will change her life forever. I love when a romance novel has stakes beyond just the relationship. Both characters have to face real challenges that test their love.
• Emily Catlow’s Style: Emily only started publishing in 2022. She has already carved out her spot in the romance community. Her stories are full of emotion, and they feature characters you want to root for. I know this one is going to deliver all the feels.

Plus, let’s be honest, a fall release date means this will be the perfect cozy-up-with-a-blanket read. Crisp October evenings, a mug of hot tea, and a romantic suspense that keeps me turning the pages? Yes, please.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Emily Catlow was born and raised in England, where she still lives with her husband and two children. She started writing in 2022. She decided it was finally time to share the stories living in her heart with the world.

When she’s not writing swoony and emotional romances, you’ll find her enjoying long walks with her family and their dog. She loves camping trips. She also enjoys soaking up live music and basking in the sun. She’s a mom and a storyteller. She clearly knows how to capture that sweet spot where love, growth, and emotional complexity all collide.

I adore learning little behind-the-scenes tidbits about authors. I love that Emily is the writer who can balance family life. She creates fictional worlds that many of us will happily escape into.

Let’s Talk

So tell me, friends, do you love friends-to-lovers as much as I do? Do you melt when a romance has layers of suspense and secrets waiting to unravel?

The Secret We Keep is up for pre-order now. It releases on October 28, 2025. I already know I’ll be counting the days until I get to dive into Morgan and Paddy’s story.

Would you read this one curled up on a fall evening too? Let me know in the comments. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cover. Share your thoughts on the blurb. I am eager to know about all the friends-to-lovers vibes happening here.