I’m delighted today to be joining the blog tour for Christmas Surprises at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett, and sharing my review: published by Boldwood Books on 22nd October, it’s now available as an ebook (just 79p, or free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. Thank you, as ever, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading copy (provided via netgalley).
I’m really rather thrilled to have finally discovered Sarah’s lovely books, and I’ve been rather hooked by this series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first, Summer Kisses at Mermaids Point – you’ll find my review here – and thought the second, Autumn Dreams at Mermaids Point, was even better (review here). This latest one is what the publishers are calling a “bite-sized Christmas treat”, just 122 pages long – just perfect to fit in between putting up the decorations, wrapping the presents and doing whatever you need to do with the turkey. Let’s take a closer look…
Christmas is a time for love, laughter, families and friends, and in Mermaids Point, everyone is getting ready for the festive season.
For Nerissa and Tom, this will be their first Christmas as a couple, but making sure they have time for each other, whilst blending their families, will take some careful planning. What festive traditions will they make their own?
Laurie and Jake are flat out running Laurie’s seafront café, packaging up orders of mince pies, sausage rolls and other delectable Christmas goodies, as well as finding time for Jake’s journalism. But when Jake’s mum offers them an unexpected gift, their plans are turned upside down.
Alex can’t help but be charmed by beautiful and talented Ivy, but he’s still recovering from his ex-wife’s betrayal and has a secret life he’s not ready to share with anyone yet. But as the Christmas spirit starts weaving its magic, Alex may find himself ready for love sooner than he imagines.
For Andrew, nothing is more important than family. As friends and family gather beneath his roof it’s a time for reflection about what the future might hold.
As far as Nick is concerned, pop sensation Aurora Storm is the ‘one that got away’. After they shared a brief holiday fling, he has been thinking about her ever since. Is Christmas the perfect time to finally reach out to her, or is love at first sight just in fairy-tales?
When I paid my first visit to Mermaids Point, I had a little tear in my eye when Jake was invited to join a family meal with the Morgans – all that warmth and love was just wonderful, and I rather wished I’d had a seat at the table too. And I had just that same feeling about their Boxing Day buffet in this book (and not just because of the sausage rolls and thick home-cut chips) – the relationships between all the characters are just superbly drawn, and there aren’t many places I’d rather have been at Christmas than Mermaids Point.
If you’ve read the first two books in the series, all the characters you loved are here – the two relatively new couples are still as loved-up as they ever were, and their stories move on a little. But we get to know some of the minor characters rather better too, most notably Tom’s brother Alex and the lovely Ivy (she’s the one who repaired that precious blanket… and who’s going through particularly difficult times at home). But this is really clever writing – if you haven’t read the first two books you might well find it equally enjoyable. I’m still not sure how she does it – and particularly without making it irritating for anyone who already knows both the people and the story – but there’s plenty of gentle catch-up within the story to make this short read entirely readable as a standalone. But, if you’re already looking forward to the next full-length book, there are also plenty of pointers towards the future direction of the storyline and the characters who will be taking centre stage.
It really is the perfect bridge between the two earlier books and the two yet to come – and there’s all that, plus the wonderful location and its community, more mince pies than you could ever possibly want, and the loveliest Christmas too!
The next full length book in the series, Spring Promises at Mermaids Point, is due for release on 16th March, with the kindle version available for preorder…
About the author
Sarah Bennett is the bestselling author of several romantic fiction trilogies including those set in Butterfly Cove and Lavender Bay. Born and raised in a military family she is happily married to her own Officer and when not reading or writing enjoys sailing the high seas.
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I read this too! I also really enjoyed it.