Book Review - Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk

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Amazon UK

Title: Christmas Fling

Author: Lindsey Kelk

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 9th October 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Is a fake boyfriend really just for Christmas?

One fake romance. One magical Christmas. One chance to fall in love.

Laura was all set for a quiet solo Christmas – just her, a bottle of wine, and flat-sitting for a stranger. But when the stranger’s parents mistake her for his mystery girlfriend, she’s swept off to the snowy Scottish Highlands with Callum and his whole family.

Between the cosy sleeper train, charming pubs and breathtaking views, this could be the no-strings-attached Christmas of Laura’s dreams.

But stranger Callum is hot, hilarious and their ‘fake’ chemistry is off the charts.

So is this just a Christmas fling? Or the start of something more?

Ooh this was 100% a me book! 

Fake Dating - Check! Adore this trope and am always drawn to it. 

Christmas - Check! - I'm the biggest sucker for a festive read and can never get enough of them 

Lindsey Kelk - Check! - One of my all time favourite authors, and it's a festive fake dating treat of a book - well i was never going to be able to resist. 

And thankfully it lived up to all my expectations and more. 

This is so so funny, some ridiculously amusing situations, and that meet cute between Laura and Callum - that is definitely highly memorable. 

And its from that first meeting and then a case of mistaken identity that Laura offers to become Caroline, to try to ensure that Callum's non existent girl friend is never invited back to the Highlands family home again.  Laura's personification of this Caroline persona is en point, and turns her into a really funny and loud mouthed woman, who won't take no rubbish from anyone! 

Which is good given Callum's father is chauvinistic, and his sister has a massive chip on her shoulder.  

Add in Laura's best friends Desi and Joel who are totally hilarious and there is one stand out scene in a service station Marks and Spencer that comes to mind, not to mention all of Desi's wild theories and you have the mix for a fantastic story set in the Scottish Highlands over Christmas. 

This was my first Christmas book of my 2025 festive reading that I have read, during the heatwave (not that it cooled me off, there is definitely some chemistry between our fake daters), what I can say is all the others I read will have a lot to live up to. 

Absolutely adored every page of this, just fabulous. 

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Then Things Went Dark by Bea Fitzgerald

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Amazon UK

Title: Then Things Went Dark

Author: Bea Fitzgerald

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 9th October 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

NO MURDER HAS EVER HAD MORE WITNESSES . . .

The contestants are hungry to prove themselves.

The stakes are high and losing is not an option.

But three weeks and eighteen episodes later, five of the six contestants sit in a Portuguese police station, and none of them are winners.

Because twelve million people were watching when Rhys Sutton died on camera, and someone must pay for the crime.

The best friend, the rival, the girlfriend, the lover, and the sworn enemy are left standing.

And of course, no-one is talking. But how do you keep secrets when the world has been watching?

Especially when, just a day before his murder, Rhys was the most hated man on television.

Oh this was totally my sort of book.  I love a thriller set in a gorgeous setting, and featuring a brand new reality TV programme too! 

Told in a mix of police trying to solve the death (or murder) that had been broadcast live to the world as part of the live stream for this new reality programme, Iconic, the thoughts of all the contestants, in addition to seeing how each episode unfolded. Plus of course social media reaction to everything. 

I can't say any of the characters were totally likeable, but they were brilliant for this Iconic show, a total mix of personalities and all showcasing a different field and set of skills. 

I did though have very little sympathy by the end for the dead person, and wasn't really sure who or how they ended up dead, until we got to that point. 

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and with perhaps the exception of the final episode feel like Iconic would have been the sort of show that would have made for addictive car crash style TV - which I'm totally here for. 

What a great story. 

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - A Copenhagen Snowmance by Pernille Hughes

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Amazon UK

Title: A Copenhagen Snowmance

Author: Pernille Hughes

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley 

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 10th October 2025

Rating: 4 Stars

She only packed for a flying visit. Now she’s stuck with no flights, no hotel and no plan B.

Anna Lundholm was only supposed to be in Copenhagen for a few hours. Just long enough to tie up some loose ends, grab one of the city’s famous hot dogs and be on her way. No stops, no distractions, no goodbyes.

Until a snowstorm grounds her flight.

With the beautiful city at a snowy standstill, Anna turns to Jamie – a gorgeous Scot with an open door and a raised eyebrow.

Could Copenhagen work its magic one more time?

I suddenly have a craving to visit Denmark around Christmas, although perhaps with a bit less snow grounding flights than Anna had.  

This is a wonderful festive guide to Copenhagen, Danish festive traditions, and to the city as a whole. It's clear it's a city that is closer to the author's heart, and I really felt as though I was transported there. 

Anna promises herself that she is only returning to Copenhagen, for a quick visit, she doesn't want to bump into anyone she knows, but had one important thing to do that couldn't be done online. However the weather has other ideas and she ends up hoping that her lodger will take pity and let her stay in her own home. 

Of course it just happens to be the handsome grumpy stranger that she has already had a few not wonderful interactions with earlier that day.  

But as they start to get to know each other it was Jamie that I absolutely adored. He really is a lovely man, wanting the best for everyone, whereas Anna grated on my slightly as she was so adamant that running away from a difficult situation is the only option, and repeated it so often, it started to a get a bit annoying. 

In between that was the pair share a house and time together in the City, including a minor fake dating plot, going viral on social media and a whole lot more, a real connection grows between these two characters. 

I really enjoyed seeing just how this would all turn out. It's another really entertaining book from this talented author.  I loved it. 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Cooking Up a Christmas Storm by Amelia Berry

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Title: Cooking Up a Christmas Storm

Author: Amelia Berry

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hera

Publication Date: 18th September 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Can you find love if you can’t be yourself?

Jodie Simpson's life is falling apart.

She's been dumped by her girlfriend, Gemma, lost her job and is about to be kicked out of her flat. When she mistakenly opens a letter addressed to Gemma and finds a job offer to work at the Highland Cookery School, she makes a momentary decision that will change her life forever.

Jodie heads to the Scottish Highlands to begin her new job - as Gemma. But it all starts to work a little too well, and she finds herself loving her new life at the cookery school. As the snow starts to settle and the festive magic cast its spell, she finds herself falling for Pavel, the estate caretaker.

But Jodie cannot keep up her fake identity forever and a storm is brewing.

If she tells the truth, will she lose the new life she has built for herself, and the man who might just be The One?

An uplifting romcom that fans of Sarah Morgan, Heidi Swain and Katie Ginger will adore

It was so good to be back at Lowbridge and at the Highland Cookery School with Adam, Bella and Darcy from the previous book. Along with all the memorable characters in the town too. 

But this can definitely be read as a standalone as the two leads are brand new characters to us (or at least I don't have any distinct memories of Pavel, but could be wrong). 

Jodie is definitely a fresh face to the series and a rather chaotic one at that. After all on a whim she impersonates her ex on the phone, accepts a job without knowing what it is and moves to the Highlands where she then needs to persuade everyone that she is a fabulous events manager and more, and that her name is Gemma. 

And believe it or not that isn't the only level of deception in this book which is what lead to the moments where I was totally laughing out loud, completely amused at just how complicated this was getting, in a good way. 

While when we have a focus on Pavel, he is far steadier, and is the town's good guy. I loved him instantly and he is just an all around great guy. But has his own sense of self to deal with.

There are so many strands to this rather delicious story, as Jodie attempts to help save Lowbridge, along with trying to help Bella figure out what to do with a lot of sprouts!  She is a hit with everyone in the village, give or take the fake identity. 

I thoroughly enjoyed all of this story, and really am hoping the bad guy of this series will get his comeuppance at some point. As we got to see a whole lot more of him and I was with Jodie in fantasizing about how to destroy him. 

Jodie is a complex character, who comes across really well and you can't help but love her. 

This was a joy to read, and I can't wait for the next book in this series. 

Thank you to Hera and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Every Christmas Eve by Emma Heatherington

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Amazon UK

Title: Every Christmas Eve

Author: Emma Heatherington

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 25th September 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Lou and Ben fell in love as teenagers at the Ballyheaney Christmas Eve party. Every winter, they saved the date for each other. Until everything changed one fateful night…

Now, after years away, widower Ben and his young daughter are back, determined to revive the legendary party. But with only two weeks to make it happen, they need help. So Ben turns to the one person he could never forget: Lou.

As the days tick down to another Christmas Eve together, old feelings and memories resurface. Will Lou and Ben seize this chance to rewrite their very own love story?

What an totally and utterly gorgeous love story this is. 

I absolutely adored seeing the Christmas's in the past, where Lou and Ben's love story started, with the most fabulously memorable first meeting of them. We get to see each Christmas over the next few years, as their connection and feelings grow deeper, until things go wrong. 

Alongside this, we have the present day story, where they are now back in each others orbits for the first time in many years, attempting to put together a bit epic party, that they used to do as a well oiled team.  Lou feels as though she is part of Ben's family, but is aware that with Ava in the picture things may not be simple, that's if either of them are able to risk their hearts. 

I loved Uncle Eric, actually I loved all the characters. It was such a mixed bunch of people that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know. 

I was totally gripped by this book, to the extent I was oblivious to my surroundings. It's another wonderful story from this always fabulous author and I was totally there for it.  Just wonderful. 

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - A Winter Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack - #HolidayReading Cruise

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Amazon UK

Title: A Winter Wedding Adventure

Author: Leonie Mack

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 2nd September 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Adventure guide Kira Watling is not a natural with guest lists and flower arranging...

But the destination wedding agency she works for always goes above and beyond. And it’s her job to escort an important guest from Salzburg to the venue, a gorgeous chalet nestled in the mountains. It should be simple, but an overnight delay due to heavy snowfall leaves her stuck in close quarters with her very handsome, very eccentric charge, Italian opera singer Mattia.

Clumsy, yet sensitive, Mattia is unlike anyone Kira has ever met. Spending an evening exploring the Christmas markets and then making their way through the snow-covered mountains to the wedding the following day, Mattia gets under Kira’s skin in a way no one else has. They can’t ignore the very unexpected attraction, but Kira has a job to do. And whilst Mattia is open to love, bitter life experience has taught Kira to guard her heart.

Continually thrown together by wedding disasters, Kira finds her resistance to commitment sorely challenged by growing feelings for the charming Mattia – and the determination of the bridal party to make these snowbound nuptials a success. But can there be a future for a tough outdoor guide and an opera singer when the snow is finally cleared?

Escape to the snowy mountains with Leonie Mack for a gorgeous, snowbound feel-good romance!

I am loving this series so much and this is only the second book. 

And wow we get to know Kira who popped up in book 1 a whole lot better in this one and I loved everything I learned about her. 

Mattia is a rather sensitive opera singer, who seems a bit naïve as to elements of real life. He has super hearing, and seems to be rather accident prone too. 

Which is why Kira has to as her first job in assisting at this wedding, accompany Mattia from Salzburg to Tyrol to get him to the wedding party in one piece, before you take into account the various far more adventurous things she is there to actually do. 

I loved the dynamic between Kira and Mattia, and really enjoyed it when they were both in the same scenes. 

And the setting of this book was spectacular, Leonie Mack is really onto a winner with these adventure weddings.  There is action, drama, emotion and just about everything you can hope for in a book, plus a lovely romance too. 

It's just brilliant, and I loved Kira come into her own, and develop as the story progresses, especially with confidence in how to handle weddings, given her own past. 

What a fabulous book, I loved every second of it. And can't wait for the next book in this series. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Pysychiatrist by Emma Curtis

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Amazon UK

Title: The Psychiatrist

Author: Emma Curtis

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Corvus

Publication Date: 2nd October 2025

Rating: 4 Stars

TWO FAMILIES. ONE LIE. NO FORGIVENESS.

In the leafy suburbs, status is paramount and reputation is everything...

Recently qualified psychiatrist Dr Geddes is building her career at a prestigious practice when an unexpected encounter with a young male patient threatens to expose her darkest secret.

Lorna Chilcott is delighted to befriend the glamorous Elise, wife of the ex-boyband star she had a crush on as a teenager. But when her daughter goes missing after leaving Elise's house, friendship turns to discord and accusations fly.

A single lie connects these two traumatic events - and its impact will be deadly...

There were moments in this where I smacked my head, said ah of course, that's how the two storylines are connected, and then within a page or two where my mind has fully caught up, I'm actually saying OMG when I realise something which is that Emma Curtis is once again brilliant.  

We have a character known purely as the Psychiatrist and see her having issues with one very specific patient, which leads to all manner of questionable decisions. 

Then there is Lorna and Elise's story which seems initially fairly gentle, and about friendship, ramps up when Lorna's daughter disappears and from there the story becomes really compulsive to read. 

Everything is interlinked so well, and most of it I definitely didn't predict.  I kept reaching for the book to read just another chapter, as I needed to see what would happen next. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it has twists, unexpected moments and characters that I changed my mind about continually.  Just delightful. 

Thank you to Corvus and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore

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Amazon UK

Title: The Strawberry Patch Pancake House

Author: Laurie Gilmore

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: Ebook

Rating: 5 Stars

Every book in the Dream Harbor series can be read as a standalone.

As a world-renowned chef, single dad Archer never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new chef, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.

Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when it’s suggested that Archer is looking for a live-in nanny, she almost runs in the opposite direction.

Now, Iris finds herself in a whole new world. One where her gorgeous new boss lives right across the hall and likes to cook topless… Keeping everything strictly professional should be easy, right?

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a cozy romantic mystery with a single dad and found family dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

It's always a joy to return to Dream Harbor with its cast of quirky characters and small town USA vibes (by which I mean a sense of community, but you can't sneeze without someone asking you about it). 

Archer's character arc will just melt the hardest of hearts, as he starts to come to terms with suddenly being a father to five year old Olive, the child he didn't know he had, until her mother died. 

He is a top chef in Paris, but moves on a temporary basis to Dream Harbor to start bonding with Olive and gets more than he bargained for. 

He hires Iris to be his nanny, despite her clear lack of knowledge about kits, and at times it was like the blind leading the blind, but at the same time Olive is adorable and it is very hard to resist falling for this kid fairly quickly.

I loved seeing not only how Iris and Archer were trying to cope, but also seeing them both try to ignore the blatant chemistry between them. 

And for the inner foodie in all of us, watching Archer try to perfect the pancake recipe for the diner, is brilliant. He is constantly making pancakes but yet the locals in the town seem to be like Goldilocks in their thoughts towards his efforts. 

This was a steamy, but very heartwarming romance, and an absolute pleasure to read.  I thoroughly enjoyed every word and am looking forward to returning to the town as soon as I can. 

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Meet Me Under The Northern Lights by Mandy Baggot

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Amazon UK

Title: Meet Me Under The Northern Lights

Author: Mandy Baggot

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 4th September 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Can one kiss melt a cold, broken heart?

When career-focused Chloe Bellamy is sent to Iceland on a last-minute work trip, it’s her big chance to prove she deserves a seat at the top.

But there’s one problem, she may have embellished her CV a little… saying she speaks Icelandic when she doesn’t! And now, to add to her woes, she’s landed with no place to stay.

Gunnar Eriksson has a habit of saving people. First, when he rescued a young boy from a volcano and offered him a forever home. Then opening his door and welcoming in a spirited yet accident-prone Octogenarian. Now Gunnar has somehow tied himself to Chloe who needs all the help she can get but, for some reason, is reluctant to accept it.

Neither of them are looking for love, but under Iceland’s spell, and with a little extra help from those around them, something begins to shift. Could one kiss beneath the Northern Lights change everything?

This Christmas, escape to Iceland for festive feels, unexpected friendships and maybe even a chance at love.

What happens when the queen of the Greek romance, sets a book somewhere distinctly chillier? Well you find out in Meet Me Under The Northern Lights, as Mandy Baggot writes yet another truly enjoyable story. 

All of her trademark touches are there, including a man that you can't help but fall for, and a her ability to describe a destination. 

Wow I actually felt myself cooling off in the hot summer sun, while I was reading about Iceland and all the various trips that Chloe goes on, to work out how to plan an epic event. I loved the descriptions of the Northern Lights, the dog sledding and some of the places off the beaten track too. 

This would be a brilliant advert for the Icelandic tourist board, as is definitely got me wanting to visit, even in the run up to Christmas. It's not overly a festive novel, more a book set in December, with a wintery setting, but we do learn about about some Icelandic traditions. 

And Gunnar, omg, I love that man. His family might be a found family as such but it's 100$ his, and I loved their dynamics. Everything this man does I'm totally there for, he's easily my new book boyfriend. 

This is a wonderful story, that I enjoyed every moment of. The chemistry between our leads is good, there are funny moments (especially with Chloe trying to cover up her lie about speaking fluent Icelandic), and its an all around enjoyable book.   

Definitely one to be added to your wintery reads TBR this year. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - A Merry Irish Christmas by Clodagh Murphy

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Amazon UK

Title: A Merry Irish Christmas

Author: Clodagh Murphy

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books 

Publication Date: 6th September 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Mary is looking forward to a proper, Irish family Christmas… but she’s in for a big surprise…

Mary McBride hasn’t told her family that she’s coming home for Christmas. After breaking up with her boyfriend just before the holidays, she decides to surprise them and get a last-minute flight home. But when she arrives in Ireland after a long journey, she discovers her family have had the same idea, and gone to New York to surprise her.

To make matters infinitely worse, they’ve done a house swap with grumpy (but sexy) New Yorker Evan, who makes it clear he doesn’t want her, or her Christmas cheer, around.

Mary is determined to keep the festive spirit alive, so she proposes that she and Evan each get one day where the other has to do things their way. But can Evan put aside his grouchiness to embrace a proper, Irish Christmas? And how will Mary cope with a day of sulking and moody walks on the beach?

One thing’s certain: as the temperature drops outside, things start to heat up inside the McBride house. Maybe it’ll be a merry Christmas after all …

A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy full of Irish charm and festive romance, perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane and Catherine Walsh.

Please please please tell me this is the first book in a series, as I really need to read more of these characters. Very specifically this book was giving me Marian Keyes, Walsh family vibes and feel like Sheena who is Mary's mum is going to be pivotal to everything. 

I adored Sheena whenever we saw her, and she certainly has the gift of the gab, and clearly loves her children. 

I also feel like this would make a fabulous festive movie, there is a brilliant meet cute, close proximity possible romance, elements of The Holiday (the house swap), characters who want to surprise loved ones, only for it to backfire slightly and a whole lot more. 

I found this to be a wonderfully fast book to read, it seemed like the pages were going past without any effort from me, while I was enjoying every last word of this. 

Set between New York and a small Irish town, this is pure enjoyment this festive season.  There are friends to be met, a really lovely Christmas Day, and a slow burn romance, which I was definitely rooting for. 

This was an incredibly enjoyable book to read and I'm definitely keen to read more from the author, and hopefully this family too. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.