Book Review - Not Just For Christmas by Cathy Bramley

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Amazon UK

Title: Not Just For Christmas

Author: Cathy Bramley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 8th October 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

'Tis the season for second chances...

When Lucy, Jack and Dylan meet on a beach in Devon, a friendship begins that will last a lifetime.

Over the next twenty years, Dylan rises to stardom and becomes a famous popstar, whilst Jack and Lucy take over the family farm and have a son, Sam - but then an accident changes everything.

And so, even with Christmas fast approaching, Lucy is feeling far from festive. Running Merrydown Farm singlehandedly was never in the plan, and she's exhausted.

On the other side of the world, Dylan is burned out and in need of a break - so when an invitation to spend Christmas with Lucy arrives, it seems like the perfect escape.

There's just one problem. It turns out Lucy didn't invite him...

One thing that I'm now convinced off, if I wasn't already from previous years, is that Cathy Bramley writes an exceptional Christmas book.  

This is the story of Lucy, Jack and Dylan, although Jack isn't alive for the majority of the book his presence is everywhere. 

Lucy is Jack's widow, and mother to Sam, while Dylan is a famous popstar but met the couple before he hit it big and has always been there for them where ever possible. 

The book starts with the first time Dylan and Lucy meet, and then we get a catch up on key points of the friendships life span over the next twenty years, in emails, and texts etc..  

Then the unthinkable happens and Jack dies, and a few years later Lucy is struggling with the farm that was never her dream, and Dylan is struggling to come up with the missing piece of his next album.  While Sam just wants Dylan to visit and to help make the holidays this year special. 

When Dylan arrives, it is lovely to see him get stuck into life, but it is clear that there is a connection between him and Lucy that neither are sure they should act on.  There is a lot of soul searching, as well as in Lucy's case especially trying to start to heal and come back to life. 

This is a book I couldn't get enough of, it was so heartwarming, it was festive, and I wanted to reach out and hug not only the human characters, but possibly one or two of the cows too, as it is a dairy farm.  I was also interested to hear about some of the modern technology that is involved in this most traditional of professions. 

And Dylan the way he interacts with Sam is absolutely gorgeous.  I loved both of them so much and really felt for Sam who does remember his father, and clearly misses him. 

Just an all around fabulously festive tale and another book I have truly  adored from Cathy Bramley. 

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

Book Review - Christmas at the Ritz by Julie Caplin

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Amazon UK

Title: Christmas at the Ritz

Author: Julie Caplin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 5th November 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

Some Christmas surprises come gift wrapped. Others are six foot three, impossibly arrogant and standing in the lobby of the best hotel in London…

Belle Woods is not the kind of woman who falls for a man she’s only just met.

Finn McAllister is not the kind of man who falls for anyone.

But with the city wrapped in the warm glow of a thousand fairy lights, frost sparkling on snowy streets and steaming hot chocolates warming cold hands, Christmas in London has a way of making anything feel possible.

And sometimes the most unexpected Christmas can turn out to be the one you never want to end.

I absolutely love a Julie Caplin Christmas book and this was no exception.  Set in London, and featuring many roads and routes that are fairly familiar to me,  I felt very at home with this book. 

I adored the way Finn initially tries to trick Belle with just who he is, and the way he plays up to the stereotypes she already has of him.  And it leads to some  really memorable outings in Central London.  

I was so impressed with the variety of Christmas things that they found to do, including some that I'd never heard of but have since googled and discovered really do exist.  There are carol concerts, a trip to the pantomime (which I would have loved more detail of as I love that panto), a rather special dog event, and a whole lot more. 

Although not too obvious to start with they have their dysfunctional families in common and it was interesting getting to know Belle's especially and seeing how she was able to grow and mend some rifts. 

Finn was a wonderful character, and I loved how he treated Belle and how enthusiastic about Christmas he is.  He also knows London really well and I really enjoyed their trip to the zoo too. 

There is just so much going on and I was loving every second of it. 

And the descriptions of The Ritz were out of this world. I felt as though I was there alongside the characters, and could really believe the envision the sumptuous nature of the decorations.  

This was an absolute delight to read.  

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

Book Review - His New Girlfriend by Lauren North

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Amaazon UK

Title: His New Girlfriend

Author: Lauren North

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 7th October 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

My husband’s new girlfriend is perfect. And so is the game she’s playing…

I slip through the front door of a house that isn’t mine, using a key I shouldn’t have.

My husband and his new girlfriend live here now. If they come home early, it’s over.

I tiptoe through the pristine rooms. On a side table, there’s a photo of Sadie’s toned arms wrapped around the man who once promised me forever. I resist the urge to turn it face down. To smash it on the expensive hardwood floors.

I’m here to find out what Sadie is hiding, carefully locked away in her attic. I’m here to find proof – evidence – that I can use to keep my daughter safe.

As I creep up the stairs, I remember Grace’s terrified voice. “Mum, I saw Sadie do something terrible…”

I have to protect Grace. This is all my fault. Because I knew Sadie was a homewrecker. I just never suspected she was a killer…

A page-turning, jaw-dropping psychological thriller that will have you reading under the covers all night. Perfect for fans of The Housemaid, The Couple Next Door and The Family Upstairs.

I always tend to struggle slightly with unreliable narrators, and although Laura isn't unreliable, she is acting on the word of her daughter Grace, who has a proven track record as a liar.  And then Laura's actions make her look just slightly unstable as a result. 

But when Grace is convinced she has seen that her father's new girlfriend Sadie has done something truly horrific, she knows it will be a struggle to get her mum even to believe her. Laura does some questionable things, in order to try to prove that her daughter is in fact lying, as if it's true then it means someone she cares about a lot could be dead, and that her former best friend Sadie, now her husband's new girlfriend, is someone she knew even less than she thought she did. 

I was never fully sure whether to trust Grace's observations or not, but it is clear she is terrified, and is relying on her mum to sort things for her.  But everything Laura does, makes her seem unhinged.  After all neither of them fancy straight communication, nor calling the police. 

With complicated family dynamics, and a fair few unlikable characters, this was a bit tough to get into.  But once I was in the flow of the story, I was eager to find out how it would turn out.  Perhaps not my favourite from this author, but still a good book regardless. 

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

Book Review - Snowed In At The Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

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Amazon UK

Title: Snowed In At The Comfort Food Cafe

Author: Debbie Johnson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 30th October 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

The snow is falling and the hot chocolates are piled high with marshmallows at the Comfort Food Café, and one unexpected visitor is in for a holiday miracle…

Meredith Bailey is a woman who doesn’t do emotions, doesn’t do cake, and she absolutely does not do cosy Dorset villages. But when she’s sent a photograph of a little café overlooking a picture-perfect bay, Meredith does what she always does – she draws up a spreadsheet and makes an offer.

Cherie Moon, owner of the Comfort Food Café, has other ideas. She isn’t selling. But she is, rather inexplicably, offering Meredith an apron.

What Meredith doesn’t account for is a very handsome vet in a Santa hat, or a village with the magical gift for thawing the most frozen of hearts – one mug of the world’s best hot chocolate at a time…

Warm, funny and full of hope, this is the perfect read for snugging up with on long winter nights.

I had to pretty much laugh out loud at Meredith's intentions to get into Budbury, persuade Cherie Moon to sell the Comfort Food Cafe and return home all within a day! Anyone that has ever read any of this series will know what a laughable concept that is. 

And yet that is what Meredith tries, after all she is a master negotiator and doesn't take no for an answer, but she hadn't banked on Cherie being her most formidable opponent ever, let alone just what spending time at the Comfort Food Cafe and town of Budbury would do for her. 

I loved their initial battle of wits, with Cherie showing once again what an amazing woman she is, and an astute judge of character.  She challenges Meredith to work in the cafe for 10 days, and then they can discuss things further.  She gets the ladies of the village to give her some more appropriate clothing than business suits, and is introduced everywhere.   

I loved seeing how she changes and develops over the course of her time in the village, and I felt for her when you learn her true reasoning for being there.  There are many moments in this book that will tug on heartstrings, but will also make you smile a lot. 

It was wonderful catching up with so many familiar faces to this series, seeing how their lives are getting on, while at the same time I believe this could easily be read as a standalone novel.  I especially loved some of Edie's lines! 

And Josh, the vet is rather a catch too. But the star of this is Nelly, who has a definitely place in my heart as well as quite a few residents of the village too.   

This was a joyous read and another truly fabulous addition to this series. I couldn't get enough of reading it, and loved every page.  

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

Book Review - I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

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Amazon UK

Title: I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home

Author: Fergus Craig

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Sphere

Publication Date: 17th February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

When former serial killer Carol takes her place in a luxury retirement home, she begins to find her feet with a small new group of friends. If she can only keep her past hidden, maybe she has a chance at happiness.

That's when she discovers that, absurdly, every other one of Sheldon Oaks' residents was involved in the law somehow. It's not long before her true identity is leaked, and when a former police commissioner resident is murdered, naturally all eyes turn to her...

Now she must solve the case to prove her innocence - just as her new friends start their own investigations into whether there is more than one killer at Sheldon Oaks.

What a ridiculous but fabulous book this is. It's certainly cosy crime, but these are not doddery old people in a retirement home. 

You have an ex-home secretary, ex pathologist, ex-policeman, ex-police commissioner (very ex since he is killed), an ex crime boss, an ex crime writer, oh and an ex-serial killer who has only just been released from a 30+ year sentence. 

What a fascinating group of people that are now all living at Sheldon Oaks in Hampstead are rather well off looking care facility. 

But when Desmond is killed, Carol knows she has to try to clear her own name as everyone will be pointing fingers towards her, and she is adamant she has given up killing for good now. 

I loved how these characters attempted to solve this case, not necessarily all working together, but it really is an impressive assortment of people that know the law! 

This was one highly entertaining book and was a lot of fun to read. I never guessed who the murderer was, and I loved the denouement too. 

I'd happily read more from this author. 

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

Book Review - Together For Christmas by Emma Heatherington

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Amazon UK

Title: Together For Christmas

Author: Emma Heatherington

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 27th August 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

Cara Mallon is facing Christmas alone when she arrives at Ashford Castle, six months after her fiancé called off their winter wedding. She hopes launching her travel business with a festive press trip will provide the distraction she needs.

When Cara meets charming travel blogger Dermot Walshe, sparks begin to fly. But Dermot has been set the challenge of a year without any romance, ending on Christmas Eve – by which time Cara will be gone.

And yet, as frosty days turn to candlelit nights, their connection grows.

Can they find their way back to each other when it matters most?

I'm always very happy to see that Emma Heatherington has a new Christmas book, and was very eager to dive in between the pages of this one.  And once again it's another immensely enjoyable story, one that really did leave me with a big fat grin and sense of wellbeing. 

Although Cara Mallon is one of our main characters and is of course instrumental in the whole book, it was the chapters focusing on Dermot that really appealed to me. 

Dermot and his son Callum are a social media phenomena called The Travelling Walshes, and are known across Ireland.  Watching their banter, good natured ribbing and generally how they get on both on and off camera is really heartening to see. 

As is Dermot's great friendship with the mother of his child Martha and her new husband Matteo.  And with Martha battling illness which is a strain on all of them, there are certainly some incredibly poignant moments in this book, and for parts of it I was convinced of a certain outcome. Thankfully most of those inklings were in fact wrong! 

He is also famously coming to the end of a year long dating ban and has women practically lining up for it to be over, but from the start of the Walshes' trip to Ashford Castle, he only has eyes for one woman... 

.. Cara, but she is still trying to put the pieces of her life together after her fiancée called off the wedding a few months before hand. She's not remotely looking for love but she is starting to thrive in her new business, especially with this Ashford Castle trip. 

I enjoyed getting to know that area of Ireland, in addition to the various people on the 2 night trip.  There are a fair few lovely sub plots to this that I thoroughly enjoyed too. 

This was a totally delightful read, and one I thoroughly was absorbed by. 

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

Book Review - My Brilliant AI Boyfriend by Stella Hayward

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Amazon UK

Title: My Brilliant AI Boyfriend

Author: Stella Hayward

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bedford Square Publishing

Publication Date: 27th August 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Top scientist in her field Ava Green doesn't spend much time outside of the lab. But when her best friend suggests she present her innovative work in AI at a big competition to win a funding prize, Ava is one of the four finalists chosen.

For the next three weeks, the short-listed contestants will live and work at Castle Beaumont, and Ava will have to do things like attend dinners and actually interact with people. To make matters worse, she's in competition with the surly and aloof poet Forrest Faulkner, who's had a huge chip on his shoulder since the moment they met. What's so great about poems that don't even rhyme, anyway?

But one of the finalists literally looks like he's Ava's fantasy come to life... and maybe that's not so far from the truth. Could it be that Ava's idea of perfection isn't what's perfect for her, after all?

This book is so clever, but it also has a totally en-point message about the uses of AI and how bad generative AI i for humanity. 

But Ava Green our heroine has created Freethought a form of AI that doesn't scrape stuff from other creatives without consent, but rather is able to actually think for itself. 

To the extent that it can do it's own research and come up with ideas even while Ava is away from her lab. 

It's kind of a scary thought but I strongly suspect we may not bet that many years away from something similar in reality.

And the uses that the author has come up with for FT, are so mind boggling brilliant that I  hope that the technology can advance and bring them to fruition as that is a far better use for AI than random internet memes! 

There aren't many authors I would trust to make me believe in this sort of world but thankfully this is one of them. 

Ava is a tech genius but is rather inexperienced with life, so she really doesn't get what we as readers do rather quickly that she may have more than one possible man interested in her currently. 

There are moments in this that literally blew my mind, and it was a delight to be sucked into this wonderful world.  

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

Book Review - A Date With Santa by Debbie Macomber

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Amazon UK

Title: A Date With Santa

Author: Debbie Macomber

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Sphere

Publication Date: 13th October 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

This Christmas, one magical date could change everything...

Sage Madison has always kept Christmas simple - store-bought cookies, a fake tree, and no time for romance. But when her sister needs help, Sage unexpectedly finds herself caring for her five-year-old nephew, Ricky, and suddenly the holidays look very different.

Determined to give Ricky the magical Christmas he deserves, Sage enlists the help of her best friend Erica - and Ethan, her handsome colleague, who agrees to play Santa in exchange for one thing: a date with Sage.

As festive sparks fly with ice skating, baking, and late-night hot chocolates, Sage starts to wonder if Ethan might just be the best gift she never expected. But with her old life pulling her in another direction, can she risk opening her heart - or will she let her chance at happiness slip away?

Heart-warming, romantic, and full of holiday sparkle, A Date With Santa is the perfect festive read for fans of Sarah Morgan, Trisha Ashley, and Phillipa Ashley.

I have to wonder if perhaps this might be Debbie Macomber's next Hallmark movie.  It has all the elements that make those so special which is why it was an absolutely adorable book to read. 

I loved how Sage agrees to look after her nephew Ricky, which her sister is helping out with a hurricane relief effort in Florida.  Sage barely knows Ricky, nor much about 5 year olds, or how to cook, much less how to keep the magic of Christmas of alive for him.  But she is determined to give a go. 

Ricky is like no other five year old I know, and in some ways I somehow struggled at times to believe he was so young, he knows how to bake, and knows all sorts of things, but the one thing he really wants is to be able to take Santa some cookies like his tradition, and to talk to the real Santa!   

He is not happy with shop bought cookies and Sage's first attempt at baking them leads of a very humorous moment!  And the first Santa experience Sage takes him to, he declares is a fake!  This leads to Sage having to work out how to produce a realistic Santa, and in steps a possible rival at work, but that she might have been getting a bit close to! 

I adored getting to know Ethan, his family as well as Sage and Ricky.  There are so many just lovely moments in this book, and it was such an easy and warm book to read. 

I loved every moment, and really hope to see this on a Christmas film channel in the next few years, it would look wonderful. 

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

Book Review - Love From Christmas Tree Farm by Jo Thomas

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Amazon UK

Title: Love From Christmas Tree Farm

Author: Jo Thomas

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Pan

Publication Date: 22nd October 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

It’s the most magical time of the year . . .

Curl up with Love from the Christmas Tree Farm, the perfectly cosy festive romance from Jo Thomas, beloved and bestselling author of Escape to the French Farmhouse.

Gwen has lived at Christmas Tree Farm for many years. It’s where she’s built a life, a business and a place to call home. But after her beloved husband Paddy dies, it’s time to downsize and move on.

But when nine-year-old Willow, a distant relative of Paddy’s, arrives on her doorstep in urgent need of a place to stay, everything changes. And now, with the purchase of her new property falling through, Gwen needs to make some money, and fast.

With the help of Willow, his mum’s friend Horse, and Lara the social worker, she reopens her business selling Christmas trees for one last season. But with the mega-corporate Christmas Tree World as new neighbours, can her tranquil offering tempt the customers in?

This will be her last Christmas at her beloved farm. But endings can become beginnings, and could love, friendship and a sense of belonging flourish here . . . ?

Ah the queen of the foodie travel romance is back, and with a title that doesn't obviously scream food, or destination, but definitely sounds festive. 

And I'm happy to say the setting is a Christmas Tree Farm in Wales, that sounded totally delightful and there is a foodie slant in this into a cuisine that you may not guess or predict based on the setting, but certainly got my tastebuds tingling. 

But above all this is a story about family, and about Gwen who is determined to sell her Christmas Tree Farm, and Willow who is in need of foster care, and is related distantly to her deceased husband Paddy. 

Gwen is very kind hearted and agrees to look after Willow for the interim, and suddenly had a 9 year old boy to look after and no clue how. 

But as he starts to come out of his shell, with the help of an eclectic group of people who are all wanting to help either him or Gwen, a community forms, and this becomes an incredibly heartwarming story. 

There is also a commentary on just what is meaningful in life compared to what you see on social media. And there are some lovely messages and thoughts all centred around Paddy's tree. 

I could picture the farm so clearly and I loved the handful of animals that were present too.  

This was a festive joy to devour, and I was hooked from start to finish. Another totally amazing book from Jo Thomas, who is an author that never disappoints. 

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

Book Review - The Best Christmas Ever by Sarah Morgan

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Amazon UK

Title: The Best Christmas Ever

Author: Sarah Morgan

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 22nd October 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

This year, Christmas isn’t going to plan … and that might be the best gift of all.

Mabel has no intention of celebrating Christmas. Living alone in her beautiful old house in the woods, she’s happier keeping the world at a distance.

Brooke has planned every detail of a magical family Christmas at her parents’ house. But when a fierce snowstorm forces her, her husband and their two daughters to take shelter in Mabel’s home, all her careful plans are turned upside down.

Also stranded are Izzy and Jason, two colleagues with unfinished business and undeniable chemistry. Izzy is hiding a lonely heart behind a bright smile. And Jason may be the one man capable of breaking through her walls.

Suddenly, Mabel finds herself hosting the last thing she wanted: a full house for Christmas. Then the chaos, laughter and warmth begin to work their quiet magic. As the snow falls and the fire crackles, this snowbound group discover that family can be found in the most surprising places.

Because sometimes the Christmas you never planned is the one that changes everything …

When you open the pages of a Sarah Morgan Christmas book, you know you are in safe hands and are about to be treated to an exceptional story. 

And thankfully the author is able to keep up her rate of Christmas hit books with me, with this one, as I adored this from the very first few pages. 

It's all about people coming together during a horrific snow storm, and spending Christmas together.  It's about family and about trying to heal from past mistakes or experiences.  And thanks to Elsie and Poppy, you get the childish joy of a spontaneous Christmas too. 

Mabel was settling in to endure another Christmas all alone, dwelling on past hurts, and missing Walter who died eight years before hand. She lives a fairly reclusive life and almost didn't answer the door during the storm, but turns out that is the best thing she could have done - not just because otherwise there would have been people frozen on her doorstep. 

Brooke and her family were meant to be visiting her parents, and so determined not to let them down, they decide to travel against the weather warning advice.  They get so far and then they manage to crash, and just about get themselves to the nearest (only) house they can in the hopes of shelter and to wait out the storm. 

While Izzy and Jason were on their way back from a work appointment, when the car skids and basically ends up in the snow drift as Brooke's car a few hours later. 

Mabel may be a recluse with good reason, but she does accept that there will be extra people for Christmas, as the weather forecast is shocking and it really does change her life.  But equally thanks to her experiences which she shares as she gets to know her unexpected guests, she is able to really help Brooke and Izzy especially. 

I adored the two children, they are  a lot of fun and not too bothered about the change in circumstances.  They believe Mabel might be the witch from their favourite series of books, and one of the cats really takes a liking to Elsie too.  Elsie at 8 years old is rather inquisitive and I loved how perceptive she is.  

Over the course of a few days they all are able to for various reasons declare that this might be their best eve Christmas, and it's certainly one that has a lasting effect on all of them.   I loved seeing what they got up to, especially as Mabel reveals the truth about who she really is.  

Equally my heart broke a bit at some of their back stories.  

This is heartwarming, emotional, joyous, very snowy in a gorgeous house that looks like it came from a fairy tale and multiple generations of people having an unexpected way of celebrating Christmas. 

An absolute pleasure to read, and another hit from one of my favourite authors. 

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.