#Feature: My Christmas reviews… so far! #ChristmasReads #bookreviews

Well, we’re hurtling towards Christmas once more – Radio 2 started playing their Christmas music yesterday (anyone else tiring of Michael Buble just a little bit already?), and I really must put up my tree and decorations at the weekend. But you might just have noticed that it really doesn’t need to be December for me to start my Christmas reading – I read my first back in August (still sweltering in the heatwave…!), and it struck me that some of you might not have been quite ready to embrace the tinsel or to take much notice of my recommendations (but it’s ok, I’m not offended!).

So, before I let you know about the books on my pre-Christmas reading list for this year – all this year’s blog tour posts are complete, one only still to appear, so I’m just putting my reading list together for a month of total Christmassy self-indulgence (and I’ll share it over the weekend) – I thought it might be good to remind you about the (many) Christmassy books I’ve already read, with links to find the reviews and to purchase your own copies if you so desire (just click on the title for the Amazon page).

So, here we go…!

Together Under A Snowy Skye by Lisa Hobman

 

After the heartbreak of a secret unrequited love, Millie Treadaway has finally found someone to spend her life with.

 

Harry Rose is handsome, successful and treats her like a princess. That is until Millie presents her fiancé with a surprise birthday gift, and their future is suddenly doomed.

 

Eight months later Millie returns to Glentorrin on the Isle of Skye for her best friend Jules’ Christmas wedding. Heartbroken, single and heavily pregnant.

 

Staying in Lifeboat Cottage with Jules’ brother, kindhearted Dexter, she’s given up on love and resigned herself to be the best single Mum ever.

 

But a shock phone call from Harry leaves her reeling and doubting herself and her decisions.

 

Do second chances work? Or is Dexter right? That she deserves much more? Can the festive spirit in Glentorrin, and a little stray Jack Russell terrier, heal her heart? Or is she fated to remain a member of the lonely-hearts club forever?

 

“This book really had everything I could have possibly wanted – the Christmassy feel and the preparations for the wedding, the lovely friendships, plenty of drama, and a romance I really believed in and wanted to happen but that looked increasingly impossible as the story unfolded. As for the book’s ending – well, I don’t think it could have been much more perfect.”

 

Just 99p for kindle, free with Prime membership – you’ll find my full review here.

Christmas at the Borrow a Bookshop by Kiley Dunbar

 

With just two weeks until Christmas, everything in Clove Lore should be perfect. But the latest holidaymaker to the Borrow a Bookshop is feeling far from festive… Icelandic ex-bookseller Magnús Sturluson might be surrounded by love stories in the Bookshop, but he’s nursing a sadness that not even fiction can fix.

 

When Alexandra Robinson finds herself stranded in Clove Lore, she finds a safe place to hide from heartbreak. After all, all that’s waiting for her at home is a cheater boyfriend and the memories of her parents. As Alex finds herself embraced by the quirky village community, she finds her tough exterior thawing – and as she grows closer to Magnús, she finds an equally soft heart under his gruff shell.

 

It seems that Clove Lore is working its magic once again – until a great flood on Christmas Eve brings devastation in its wake. It’s up to Magnús and Alex to batten down the hatches and help bring the village back together again, while also introducing the locals to the Icelandic tradition of the jólabókaflóð – Yule book flood – where families and friends gather on Christmas Eve to exchange books and read together.

 

But can Magnús and Alex truly rescue the ruins of the village, and salvage their Christmas spirit? Or is there another complication lurking even closer than they thought?

 

“I know it’s early days yet, but this is the one I’d urge everyone to add to their Christmas reading list. Just perfect – without question one of my books of the year, and very highly recommended.”

 

Just 99p for kindle – you’ll find my full review here.

Let It Snow by Beth Moran

 

After the end of a long-term relationship, local weather girl Bea Armstrong has been avoiding her family, and their inevitable ‘I-told-you-sos.’ But with Christmas fast approaching, she is finally on her way home to Charis House, the school in Sherwood Forest that her mum and dad run in their old family home. And to top it all off, the insufferable Henry Fairfax – who her parents have always wanted her to marry – has also been invited.

 

Relief comes in the shape of a last minute interview for her dream job. There are just a few minor problems… The interview is in Scotland, Bea has no car, and the snow is falling already. The only solution is for Henry to drive her – could this Christmas get any worse…

 

But during an unforgettable two day interview, a stay in a log cabin and a nightmare journey through the snow, Henry turns out to be nothing like she thought. And when Bea’s first love and recent ex shows up, Bea has a difficult choice to make…

 

“The whole book oozes Christmas, and its climactic scene is just magnificent – full cinemascope, totally over-the-top, and I absolutely loved it. This is a book I’d certainly recommend you add to your Christmas reading list – it’s heartwarming, uplifting, very different, thoroughly entertaining, and a totally lovely read.”

 

Just £1.39 for kindle, free with Prime membership – you’ll find my full review here.

Christmas Miracles at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland

 

It’s the countdown to Christmas at Hedgehog Hollow Wildlife Rescue Centre, and everyone is gearing up for a festive season to remember…

 

It should be the most wonderful time of the year for Samantha and Josh as they prepare for the arrival of their first baby. But life at Hedgehog Hollow rarely goes to plan and the pair are faced with adversaries, old and new, and unexpected challenges to overcome.

 

Fizz’s job at the heart of the rescue centre is a dream come true but her personal life is more like a nightmare. With her love life a disaster and her past about to dramatically catch up with her, she needs the love and support of her Hedgehog Hollow family more than ever.

 

As the snow falls over Hedgehog Hollow, will Samantha and Fizz find the Christmas miracle they need to overcome their heartache and find happiness?

 

“This really is, in every way, the finale the series deserved – every single thread followed through to a tidy (and unfailingly satisfying) ending. There’s a fair measure of sadness and more than a few emotional moments along the way, but there’s a tremendous amount of joy too – this is a book filled to the brim with warmth and love, beautifully written, and wholeheartedly recommended.”

 

Just £1.89 for kindle, free with Prime membership – you’ll find my full review here.

Snowflakes Over Primrose Woods by Jill Steeples

 

Winter has arrived in Primrose Woods bringing with it new loves, new adventures and warm hugs on cold days.

 

Abbey Carter, her boyfriend Sam and their trusty canine companion Lady, relish living in the picturesque village of Wishwell at the edge of their beloved Primrose Woods.  The woods and the country park are full of activity as the festive season approaches.

 

Lizzie Baker is flat out at the Treetops café, serving all sorts of winter warmers, festive goodies and lashings of hot chocolate. And when her daughter and grandchildren arrive to stay, the run up to Christmas is set to be even more magical than she had expected.

 

Rhianna West has finally found the perfect man to fall in love with – if only Luke wasn’t moving away in the New Year.

 

As the snow falls on Primrose Woods, and the village of Wishwell sparkles with Christmas lights, could this be the year that every wish comes true for the three friends?

 

“This is just the loveliest multi-generational story, filled with romance and with a focus on family… and the whole book really is quite gloriously Christmassy and really glows with warmth, a real hug in a book – it totally captures the excitement and heightened emotions of the season, wrapping everything up in tinsel and lights.”

 

Just £1.19 for kindle, free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my full review here.

Twenty-One Nights in Paris by Leonie Mack

 

An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome.

 

When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren’s grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.

 

Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…

 

“The Paris of this book is just wonderful… it’s all very Christmassy, and Ren discovers it all with an infectious sense of wonder and enchantment… an excellent story quite beautifully told, and a Christmas read with a real difference. Recommended by me!”

 

Just 99p for kindle, free with Prime membership – you’ll find my full review here.

One Last Dream for December by Lottie Cardew

 

Sometimes, the dream we think we don’t deserve is the one that’s trying to come true…

 

Esme Blythe has led a nomadic existence for the last ten years, never thinking she fits anywhere, and never feeling she’s earned the right to. But when she moves in above Percival’s, the charming old toy shop in Market Square, Pebblestow, it seems the village is about to weave its signature fairy-tale magic.

 

Surrounded by wooden toy soldiers, rocking horses, and vintage doll’s houses, not to mention the locals who seem determined to be part of her life – from her endearing grumpy uncle, to warm-hearted co-worker Blodwyn, and smouldering single dad Seth – Esme has to face up to everything she’s been missing, or turn her back on an incredible opportunity.

 

New friends, formidable foes, and the thrill of a budding romance, conspire to make this the most bittersweet December ever. But when she finally learns the truth about the toy shop’s owner, her elusive benefactor, the mysterious Mr Percival, is it already too late for Esme to change her mind… and heal her heart?

 

“This book has all the festive touches you could possibly want, and could there be any better setting than an old-fashioned toyshop?… I really didn’t want this book to end – when I closed the last page I felt I was leaving special friends behind, but its ending is beautifully uplifting and left me with a smile on my face and a warm feeling around my heart. Quite wonderful, something very special – and perhaps one of my books of the year.”

 

Just 99p for kindle, free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my full review here.

Happy Endings at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett

 

Music sensation Aurora Storm finally has her career back on track, but then she’s caught up in a media storm. Desperate to distract from the story, she enlists the one man she trusts to pretend to be her boyfriend.

 

Meanwhile, in the small seaside village of Mermaids Point, Nick Morgan never expected to see Aurora again. When she calls out of the blue needing his help, he agrees at once. It feels like she’s back in his life for a reason, and he’s determined to make the most of it.

 

Aurora joins Nick and the rest of his family for their festive celebrations and, as the snow falls, Aurora finds herself caught up in the romance of Christmas. But having tasted worldwide fame, can she ever be content with village life?

 

Two weeks is all Nick has to prove to Aurora that there’s a happy ending for them both in Mermaids Point.

 

“It’s Christmas – and it’s one with all the feels, as everyone comes together for a children’s party at Alex’s bookshop (fancy dress included – it’s just so lovely) and for the excitement of a long awaited Christmas wedding. Every series has to come to an end – and for this one, the timing is undoubtedly right – but it certainly didn’t stop me having a little tear in my eye when all the loose ends were tied up neatly and I reached the book’s end. This was just the most perfect finale – bravo!” 

 

Just 99p for kindle, free with Prime membership – you’ll find my full review here.

One Last Gift by Emily Stone

 

For as long as Cassie can remember, it had been the three of them: Cassie, her big brother Tom, and Tom’s annoying best friend Sam.

 

Now, Tom is sorted, Sam is flying high, and Cassie thinks she’s figured it all out. Then tragedy happens and three becomes two.

 

For Cassie picking herself up seems unimaginable. Until she finds an envelope addressed to her, asking her to follow the trail to one last gift…

 

And suddenly what seems like an ending leads Cassie to something unexpected, beautiful and new…

 

“The whole structure of the book was something I really enjoyed – the author takes time developing her characters until they’re nicely nestled in your heart, until you feel what they feel and really understand the complexities of the various relationships. The emotional authenticity is stunning, there are many tears between the pages, and at times it’s intensely moving – I certainly needed to put it down at times – but there’s humour and lightness too, and that glimmer of hope and happiness at the end of the tunnel that shines ever more brightly. I really loved it – very highly recommended.”

 

Just 99p for kindle – you’ll find my full review here.

Winter Kisses at Roseford Café by Fay Keenan

 

The sleepy Somerset village of Roseford is the temporary home for the cast and crew of the latest Christmas movie, and there’s an excitement in the air that can’t be ignored. When Lucy Cameron, the owner of Roseford Café, is asked to fulfil a last-minute catering order on set, she can’t believe her luck.

 

Lucy’s erstwhile teenage crush, Finn Sanderson, is the star of the film, alongside his glamorous co-star, Montana de Santo, with whom he has been linked on and off the screen, and their sprinkle of stardust around the village is intoxicating.

 

With Christmas approaching and the snow starting to fall, Lucy’s path keeps crossing with Finn’s, and she starts to get to know the man behind the movie star. As her feelings grow, so too do Lucy’s reservations about even considering becoming involved with someone so well-known. And when Lucy becomes the centre of a social media storm, her fears seem to be justified.

 

Are happy-ever-afters just the preserve of romantic Christmas movies, or could Lucy and Finn star in their very own, real-life festive love story…

 

“Perhaps the loveliest thing of all about this whole book was how it made me feel – there’s just such a tremendous warmth to it that wraps itself around you as you read, and you so desperately want Finn and Lucy to have their unlikely happy ending… This book was just absolutely gorgeous – go on, add it to your Christmas reading list straight away!”

 

Just 99p for kindle, free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my full review here.

Mistletoe and Magic for the Cornish Midwife by Jo Bartlett

 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… but for single mum and busy midwife Nadia, it’s quickly turning into her worst Christmas ever.

 

Her marriage is over, and whilst her husband has moved on, Nadia finds herself back home, squashed into her mum’s spare room with her two small children. They might not be a perfect family anymore, but Nadia is determined to make this Christmas special for them.

 

Dr Hamish Spencer totally understands Nadia’s pain. As a fellow single parent, he’s struggling to cope with a rebellious teen daughter and a precocious six-year-old! Perhaps if he and Nadia join forces, they could make this Christmas slightly more memorable for everyone?

 

The last thing Nadia wants is a new man in her life, but she’d definitely like lovely Hamish as a friend. But Christmas has a way of melting the hardest of hearts and maybe a kiss under the mistletoe could change everything?

 

“It’s Christmas, always a time of heightened emotions – but there’s plenty of humour and lightness too… the romance I was hoping for certainly has its obstacles and a few surprises along the way, but I thought it was all quite perfectly handled. This is such a lovely series, and this book really was the perfect addition – with all those wonderful characters and the many stories from the maternity unit, I do hope it’ll continue for some time to come.”

 

Just 99p for kindle, free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my full review here.

A White Christmas on Winter Street by Sue Moorcroft

 

When Sky Terran returns to the village of Middledip after losing the job she loves, she anticipates a quiet Christmas getting used to her new life. However, the annual street decoration competition is coming up and this year, the residents of Winter Street are determined to win.

 

As she is pulled into the preparations, Sky quickly grows to love the quirky, tight-knit community she is now part of. Including the extremely handsome Daz, who soon becomes more than just a friendly neighbour.

 

But when Daz’s ex turns up determined to win him back and it seems he might not be the man Sky thought he was, she remembers how much allowing people into her life – and heart – can hurt. As the snow falls, will she and Daz find a way through – and help win a Christmas victory for Winter Street?

 

“If there was a scale against which you could rate a book for its sheer Christmasiness, this lovely one would be a guaranteed 10/10 – it had just everything I could have possibly wanted… an abundance of snow, some sparkling lights, the scent of cinnamon on the air, and that perfect emotional touch the author unfailingly has – heartwarming and uplifting, this really is one of those perfect Christmas reads, and I absolutely loved it. One of my books of the year – just make sure you add it to your Christmas reading list too!”

 

Just £2.99 for kindle – you’ll find my full review here.

The Christmas Castle in Scotland by Julie Caplin

 

Izzy McBride had never in a million years expected to inherit an actual castle from her great uncle Bill but here she was, in the run up to Christmas, Monarch of her own Glen – a very rundown glen in need of a lot of TLC if her dream of turning it into a boutique bed and breakfast was to come true.

 

But when Izzy’s eccentric mother rents a room to enigmatic thriller author Ross Adair and the Scottish snow starts to settle like the frosting on a Christmas cake, it’s a race to get the castle ready before they’re all snowed in for the holidays.

 

“This is a book that’s sheer enjoyment from beginning to end – the perfect escape with its wonderful Highland setting, full of individuals you really care about, a nice focus on family and friendship, plenty of gentle humour, a few perfect emotional touches, a touch of mystery, the race to the finish line, and the loveliest slow burn romance. All that, and a Christmas to remember – a definite 10/10 for me, and what more could you possibly ask for? Very highly recommended – I loved it.”

 

Just £2.99 for kindle – you’ll find my full review here.

A Gift Called Hope by Eva Jordan

 

Six-year-old Jack is counting the days to Christmas. But his grandmother is just counting the days until it’s over. For Jill, the holiday comes with painful memories, and she wants only to escape the recent past and its tragedies.

 

She’s moved and started a new life running a food truck in Widmore Bay, a quaint seaside town, in order to flee her agonising history.

 

It’s only for little Jack’s sake that Jill tolerates the tree and decorations. She just wants to spend Christmas with the curtains drawn, reading a book and drinking coffee.

 

But this season, she may stumble onto a miracle that restores joy – and hope – in her heart…

 

“There’s a perfect balance of light and shade, and a glimmer of hope that shines ever more brightly as the story unfolds… (and) there’s a lot of love in this book, a real emphasis on the importance of family, the moments of joy amid the darkness – I found the story really difficult to leave behind, the individuals very much still in my heart. It’s an extraordinary piece of writing, and a book I’d highly recommend to all – I loved it.”

 

Just 99p for kindle, free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my full review here.

Christmas in Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen

 

Libby Walker never imagined she’d be moving into the dream house she and her husband had purchased for their retirement as a widow. Intent on making a new life for herself in the quiet coastal town of Bellbird Bay, Libby’s life is upended by an unexpected call from her daughter.

 

Adam Holland’s unhappy childhood and broken home has left him scarred. Content with the life he has built for himself as a journalist and author of political thrillers, Adam arrives in Bellbird Bay to fulfil the deathbed request of an old friend.

 

When Libby and Adam meet, there is an initial attraction. But Libby is grieving for her late husband and trying to help her daughter sort out her life, and Adam has no intention of forming a relationship, wary of commitment because of how his family was torn apart.

 

Will the peace and tranquillity of Bellbird Bay help these two move on from old hurts and make this a Christmas to remember, or will events conspire to keep them apart?

 

A heartwarming tale of family, friends, and how a second chance at love can happen when you least expect it.

 

“The developing relationship between Libby and Adam was everything I wanted it to be… and, of course, it’s Christmas – with the sun beating down, so an unfamiliar experience for a UK reader, but one I very much enjoyed. This was the loveliest addition to a series I’m very much enjoying – second chance romance at its very best, with mature characters I could really identify with and the perfect emotional touch. Very much recommended.”

 

£3.47 for kindle, free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my full review here.

The Christmas Trip by Sandy Barker

 

Another year has passed and it’s Christmas again. This year best friends Chloe, Jules and Lucy are all loved up but living worlds apart.

 

Chloe is madly in love with her celebrity beau, Archer, but after a whirlwind year in Hollywood’s limelight, she’s desperate to get away and spend some quality time together.

 

Jules loves her Melbourne life – and gorgeous winemaker Matt – but a crowded flat share has her longing for a place of her own.

 

Meantime, Lucy is stuck in a long distance relationship, jetting back and forth between Colorado and London to see Will.

 

When Archer’s plan to whisk Chloe to Paris goes awry, he surprises her by bringing her friends together for a Christmas to remember…

 

“The whole book is quite gloriously Christmassy… and the romance is really rather special too… I felt entirely caught up in the complexities of their relationships, wanting things to turn out well for them all… Bringing them (all) together, and being able to luxuriate in the warmth of their friendship, gave me all I could possibly have wished for. I laughed (a lot – try sitting near Chloe when she “sings”!), cried a little (some parts are really emotional), was on the edge of my seat at times – and was totally immersed throughout in this wonderfully told story. I really loved it – one to add to your Christmas reading list, because you’re going to love it too.”

 

Just 99p for kindle – you can read my full review here.

Snowfall Over Halesmere House by Suzanne Snow

 

Welcome to Halesmere House, where romance might be just around the corner…

 

Ella is a successful chef who is looking for a temporary change of pace so she can figure out her next career steps. She’s been living in the past for so many years, it’s time she started living for herself. Luckily, Halesmere House in the Lake District is in need of a manager to kick-start its artists’ residence and Ella can’t wait to start.

 

There she meets single dad Max, the son of her eccentric new boss. He’s rattled by her presence and is convinced that Ella’s passing involvement in Halesmere will only prove painful to his children, who are already growing attached to the fun and lovely manager.

 

It isn’t long before Ella realises she’s falling in love with more than Halesmere and its community. But if she stays, is she really choosing a career for herself, or yet again for someone else?

 

“This whole book is entirely infused with warmth and love – there were certainly tears at times, but plenty of smiles too, and it’s a book you really read with your heart. And have I mentioned how beautifully it’s written? And the setting is just perfect, and so vivid – the house itself, gloriously transformed for Christmas, and the wildness of the surrounding countryside that provides such balm for the soul… Very much recommended, and perhaps one of my books of the year.”

 

Just 99p for kindle – you can read my full review here.

The Wrong Ghost by Victoria Connelly

 

When Beatrice Beaumont loses her husband, George, she finds herself raising their young daughter alone in the ancestral home, Ketton Hall, deep in the Suffolk countryside. With Christmas approaching and marking the first anniversary of George’s death, there’s nothing Bea wants more than to have him back again.

 

One night, she makes a wish for him to return and gets the shock of her life when a ghost appears. But it isn’t her George…

 

The Wrong Ghost is a delightful Christmas tale, full of warmth and charm, perfect for a dark winter’s night in a cosy, candle-lit room.

 

“This really is the loveliest story, gently and beautifully told – a very real portrait of grief and loss, but with plenty of moments of lightness in her relationship with George as the mystery slowly unfolds…  Really lovely, and the perfect short read for a stormy night at the fireside – and one I’d very much recommend you add to your Christmas reading list.”

 

£1.99 for kindle, or free via Kindle Unlimited – you’ll find my full review here.

Christmas on the Riviera by Jennifer Bohnet

 

As a toddler Elodie Jacques was abandoned by her mother and left in the care of her French grandmother, Gabriella in Dartmouth, Devon.

 

Now 24 years old, Elodie struggles to reconcile the deep anger for the mother she has never since seen.

 

When Gabriella unexpectedly announces she wants the two of them to spend Christmas and her 70th birthday in her home town of Juan-les-Pins in the South of France Elodie is thrilled.

 

Gabriella meanwhile has her own ulterior motives for wanting to return after 40 years, a daunting homecoming potentially filled with memories, secrets and recriminations.

 

With Juan-les-Pins pulsing with lights, decorations and the festive spirit, Christmas promises to be filled with fun. But when Elodie learns there is the possibility that her long absent mother may join them she hides her feelings behind a show of indifference and animosity.

 

Will there be the reconciliation that Gabriella longs for – or will the spirit of Christmas fail to work its magic?

 

“Is it Christmassy? Yes, it most definitely is – with a lovely French flavour, but not forgetting the tree and sparkling lights, and with the accompanying warmth of friendship and family. This really was the loveliest read, a gentle and emotional story beautifully told – everything I wanted it to be, and highly recommended, most definitely one to add to your Christmas romance reading list.”

 

Just 99p for kindle, free with Prime membership – you’ll find my full review here.

There, and everything’s looking nice and Christmassy – I haven’t done too badly so far, have I? And, this morning, a review of Finding Family at Seabreeze Farm by Jo Bartlett – I can ask you to flip back for that one, can’t I, I’m exhausted! If anyone notices any faulty links or major glitches, do please let me know – and I do hope I haven’t missed anyone out!

Planned December reads to follow over the weekend – but I already know (there are so many fantastic Christmas reads this year…) that I really don’t have a snowball’s chance of reading them all…