Book Review - Christmas Wishes at Pudding Hall by Kate Forster

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Title: Christmas Wishes at Pudding Hall

Author: Kate Forster

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 2nd September 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

Wrap yourself in the taste of Christmas with this fantastic festive romance!

Christa Playfoot is looking for a fresh start after her divorce. Having lost her Michelin-starred restaurant, she hadn't expected to be job hunting and single just before Christmas.

When her best friend says she's recommended Christa for a gig as a private chef over the Christmas period, Christa can't think of a reason to say no.

Christa has no idea what to expect but it's certainly not grumpy billionaire divorcee Marc Ferrier and his rambunctious twin sons, or the beautiful but cheerless country estate, Pudding Hall, that they inhabit.

With her knack for pouring love into her cooking, Christa is determined to make this Christmas sparkle for the Ferrier family and maybe get her life back on track in the process...

Warning: Before you start reading this book, make sure you have plenty of food to hand to snack on, it will make you hungry. In fact I decided to stop reading in bed about half way through and leave the book until lunchtime the following day, or I would have been too hungry to sleep that night, while I definitely wanted to keep on reading! 

It's been a while since I last read a book by Kate Forster, but I felt right at home from the first few pages, and found it to be as fast and absorbing to read as all the others I have read from her. 

And this as I may have mentioned is a food lovers paradise, and even has recipes between some of the chapters, but there is so much more to this book than that. 

Both Christa and Marc have come from tricky backgrounds and its is interesting to see how they differ in their outlooks to life at least initially. Christa is also determined to make the world a better place, or at least the less fortunate of York. 

After a brutal divorce she takes a job to chef at Pudding Hall for a month over Christmas, not really knowing who she is cooking for, and her arrival at the Hall was brilliant, and gave us a good idea about the various personalities staying there. 

I loved Marc's twin sons, they really grew on me, and once you get to know her the housekeeper Peggy is brilliant too. 

I loved the gradual festive feeling that embraced the book as Marc grew and started to overcome his dislike of the season.  And I loved Christa, firstly her name, being festive but not one of the same few that frequently appear in books, so that was rather refreshing, and the way she was with everyone was fantastic, including having a wonderful vision for the future. 

I have no issues with anything in this book, well other than Avian and Simon who I hated equally but we are meant to hate them so that is good.  

This is just so so good, and I loved it so much. Another wonderful book that hit all the right marks for me from an author that always writes great books! 

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