I’m delighted today to be joining the blog tour for So This is Christmas by Helen Rolfe, and sharing my review: published on 24th August by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback and hardcover, and as an audiobook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
I’ve enjoyed so many of Helen’s lovely books, but her last one – The Best Days of Our Lives – was something particularly special. A story so beautifully told, with individuals at its heart who were entirely real and who I really cared about, the bonds of family so perfectly captured: it really moved me, the ending couldn’t have been any more perfect, and I immediately decided it would be one of my books of the year (you’ll find my review here). I mused at the time that most of the books I’d read from her were part of series or read as instalments ahead of final publication as a standalone (have you caught up with her Skylarks series, I wonder – all three books are free via Kindle Unlimited, and I recommend them very highly!). And as if to prove me wrong, her latest book is another standalone – and given how much I loved her last, and although it’s a Christmassy one when it’s in the mid 20s outside, that made me very excited indeed…
Two old friends 🫂 One last letter 💌 A life-changing trip! ✨
Care assistant Sophie loves the holidays, and nothing makes her feel more festive than helping 82-year-old resident Bea keep in touch with her old friend Greta. In their Christmas letters, the women update each other on their lives – Bea’s in the quiet residential home in London, Greta’s in the heart of Vienna and the grand Wynter Hotel.
But everything changes when Bea passes away before Sophie’s had a chance to post this year’s letter. Devastated, Sophie struggles to imagine this Christmas without her dear friend. But then Sophie finds one last note from Bea – and this time, it’s not addressed to Greta. It’s to Sophie, telling her to go to Austria.
Which is how Sophie finds herself in Vienna at Christmas, with the snow falling, and an important delivery to make… But when Sophie reaches the Wynter Hotel, there are surprises in store, and before she returns to England, her life will have changed in ways she could never have imagined…
While Bea now resides in a nursing home in London, she still keeps in touch with close friend Greta who moved back to their home town of Vienna. They exchange letters – Bea now needs help to write them, but it’s one of the tasks Sophie enjoys helping her with. Their Christmas letters are always particularly special – but this year’s will be the last. Bea has died, in the run-up to Christmas, and Sophie hasn’t yet managed to send her letter – and she’s grieving, having been especially fond of the old lady. Finding herself unexpectedly jobless – the manager was always just looking for a reason – she remembers Bea’s insistence that she should visit Vienna, and decides to break the news to Greta in person.
A surprise awaits her there, but she’s drawn into the heart of Greta’s family – her husband Walter and her son Nick, and Jennie who has become as close to them as a daughter. Jennie hasn’t had the easiest of lives, but now works with Nick at the sumptuous Wynter Hotel: the couple helped her to have a fresh start (something they’ve often done for others), and she’s initially suspicious of Sophie, knowing that others have taken advantage of their kindness. And there are more surprises – and a few nasty shocks – to come, as the past begins to catch up with both Sophie and Jennie and a number of deeply buried secrets begin to emerge, including the reason why Bea and Greta were so determined that Sophie should visit Vienna.
I desperately don’t want to spoil the clever plotting of this book – coupled with the emotional story of found family, and a few major misunderstandings (and some unwelcome interference) along the way, I raced through it and loved every single moment. Every character is so real – both Sophie and Jennie very sympathetic, and I entirely adored the lovely Walter. And can there be anywhere lovelier to spend Christmas than Vienna? The setting is so perfectly drawn – the snowfall, the decorations, the food that meant so much to them all, the hotel wrapped in its red ribbon. There’s a gentle romance too – and it’s one I really enjoyed. And every emotional touch – and there are many – is so perfectly judged. I was often on the edge of tears – but there’s such warmth to the whole story that made it a really uplifting read.
The whole book honestly was an absolute delight – and the author’s writing has never been better. Yes, a festive read, and perhaps one to keep until you’re feeling just a little more Christmassy – but it’s a book I’d very much recommend you add to your reading list. I really loved it…
About the author
Helen Rolfe is the author of many bestselling contemporary women’s fiction titles, set in different locations from the Cotswolds to New York. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and children.
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