Book Review - Lost and Found in Venice by Joanna Knowles

Amazon UK

Title: Lost and Found in Venice

Author: Joanna Knowles

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 31st October 2024 

Rating: 5 Stars

Rosie Redbrush, a travel agent working for Wanderlust Wishes travel agency, is someone who sells holidays but never takes them. At twenty-nine, she lives a quiet, comfortable life in the town she grew up in. But then, just a few days before Christmas, a problematic customer tricks Rosie into becoming a tour guide for a group of ten disgruntled old-age pensioners in Venice! And suddenly, Rosie's quiet life is thrown into disarray.

Escorting an elderly group through the streets of Italy's most romantic city is hard enough, but throw in a neurotic aquaphobe, an accidental Santa race, a regrettable selfie, and a missing backpack, suddenly Rosie finds herself extremely lost in Venice, without a penny or a passport to her name.

Rosie can't go home. And as she travels Italy looking for a solution, what she doesn't expect to find are a loving family, a group of eclectic new friends, and the possibility of true love in the most unlikely of places...

The gorgeous new festive romcom from Joanna Knowles, Lost and Found in Venice is guaranteed to be your favourite new comfort read.

I'm so glad that the gorgeous cover for this book caught my eye, as this was an absolutely stunning book, that even when I wasn't reading it, I was wanting tot be back within its pages. In fact I'm a bit gutted that I have finished it already. 

Definitely an incredibly positive first experience reading this author and I already know I will have my eyes open for her future releases. 

For this mixes all of my favourite things into one book - travel, Christmas, humour, some fabulous characters and a brilliant adventure for Rosie. 

She is unwittingly co-erced into guiding a group of pensioners on their pre-Christmas trip to Venice, despite having never been, and to say things don't go according to plan is an understatement.  Between some drunken decisions before the trip, and one set if iffy mini decisions once in Venice, she is set on a path that is completely out of her comfort zone, but oh so brilliant for a reader. 

I'll say that we see more of Italy and just Venice, although the title is apt in so many ways. There is a memorable meet cute, although initially you aren't positive that is what it is! The personalities of the pensioners were so entertaining. 

And this is a book that really does emphasise the kindness of strangers, there is a lot of compassion as people learn of Rosie's situation. 

I don't want to spoil the story - and it really is one that is really lovely, fairly emotional at times, and one that anyone that loves a bit of armchair travel at Christmas, will absolutely adore.  I couldn't get enough of this book and really wish I had more words to devour. 

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

Book Review - The Life Sentence by Jackie Kabler

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Amazon UK

Title: The Life Sentence

Author: Jackie Kabler

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 9th May 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Convicted. Jailed. All for a crime that never even happened…

My name is Amber Ryan.

I’m in prison, but I’m innocent.

And I’ve been jailed not just for a crime I didn’t commit, but for a crime that never even happened.

Now, my friend is going to try to prove it.

But to do that, she has to go back.

Back to the dark place.

And I know she may not get out alive…

Wow, Jackie Kabler has done it again and written a completely impressive book that has astounded me. 

Jack Shannon is a brilliant villain, and I was never completely sure who I was meant to believe. 

We have Amber who is in jail for a crime, that she is adamant she didn't commit. And her old best friend is contacted to try to find evidence that the crime didn't even exist, as they both had dated the same man. 

There is a fabulous plot that is twisty, and I found myself not really trusting anyone.  I knew what I was being told by the narrators but I was never quite sure! 

I was totally gripped from this book, and couldn't get enough of it. 

This is an author going from strength to strength and I can't wait to see what she writes next. 

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

Book Review - Last Christmas by Clare Swatman

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Amazon UK

Title: Last Christmas

Author: Clare Swatman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 27th August 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

‘Bea was always early for everything. Even, it turned out, when she was running away from her life.’

As Christmas approaches, Bea Preston has a choice.

Looking up at the departures board in Heathrow airport, her flight to New York boarding soon, she knows that getting on that plane changes everything. Her life in London has grown stale, her relationship with boyfriend Dom has run its course, and New York has always been her dream. But it’s a risk – she’ll miss her parents, her friends, her job.

What if Bea could live both lives? In one she goes back home for Christmas, and in another she heads to the Big Apple. Would her fate remain the same, or can one decision really change everything?

In a grand sliding-doors love story that spans oceans, years and lives, Clare Swatman’s unforgettable tale of fate and friendship is perfect for all fans of Jojo Moyes, Beth Moran and Ruth Jones.

Christmas meets Sliding Doors meets fabulous author,  terrific characters and a the 00s!

Simply superb....

... but hard to review for fear of giving away spoilers. 

It's the first book I've read by this author and I was lured in by Christmas in the title.  And it's a good thing I was as I couldn't get enough of it. 

We follow Beas life as we see the outcome of the big airport decision occur in clearly headed and alternating chapters.  And it's surprisingly easy to follow with each year getting two chapters one from the go timeline and from the stay timeline. 

I believe there is an important message about fate, and that things happen for a reason and a whole lot more within these pages.  

There is are some deep subjects dealt with sensitively and empathetically from the author.  

In short it's certainly a book to add to your TBR, and one to savour. 

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

Book Review - Come Fly With Me by Helen Rolfe

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Amazon UK

Title: Come Fly With Me

Author: Helen Rolfe

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 22nd May 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

A Second Chance…

For Maya, serving as a pilot in the Whistlestop River air ambulance team is a dream come true. And now, with her divorce from her overbearing husband finally complete, flying over the fields of Dorset, and saving lives with the Skylarks, is the centre of her world. If only her ex would accept their separation as readily as she had, life would be perfect…

A fresh start…

Having recently transferred from London to Dorset, paramedic Noah is ready for a new start. But he’s brought with him a lot of baggage, not least his infant niece who he’s been looking after since his sister died unexpectedly earlier that year. Noah adores Eva, but is he really cut out to look after a baby?

A risk worth taking?

When Noah and Maya find themselves on the same rescue team, they’re immediately drawn to each other. Yet, with so many complications in their personal lives, do they have time to open their hearts to someone new?

As their friendship grows, Noah and Maya are both about to discover that life is worth nothing unless you share it with the people you love.

Take to the skies in this gorgeous and gripping new series from bestselling author Helen Rolfe, perfect for fans of Jo Bartlett and Cathy Bramley.

Wow! What a series this promises to be based on this epically brilliant first book. 

I definitely think Helen Rolfe has come up with a fantastic setting, and I've never read anything before featuring an air-ambulance team, and better still with a female helicopter pilot too! 

It is clear there has been a lot of research put into this book as we really get to feel as though we know Hilda (the helicopter) and the Red team especially well.  Including Maya who really needs to do something about the horrible hold her now divorced husband has over her and Noah who is new in town, complete with Eva his niece. 

There are some exceptionally horrible men in this book, and I was curious to see just what would happen to them (if anything). 

But above all this is a totally fascinating story, many ups and downs (especially in helicopters), and I absolutely loved seeing how the characters developed over the course of the book. 

And the big reveal of Maya's massive secret was something I definitely wasn't able to guess. 

I already can't wait to read the next book in the series. 

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

Book Review - The Anti-Social Season by Adele Buck - #HolidayReading Cyprus

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Amazon UK

Title: The Anti-Social Season

Author: Adele Buck

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Mills & Boon Afterglow

Publication Date: 24th October 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Can they keep their attraction under control?

After working as a firefighter for the past ten years, burnout is real for Thea Martinelli. But just when she’s ready to hang up the hose for good, she’s offered a position as the station’s new social media coordinator. It’s a move that would keep her on the squad and off the truck.

Librarian and social media coordinator Simon Osman is shocked to learn his new responsibilities include showing Thea – his high school crush – the ins and outs of digital engagement. And the fact that she doesn’t even remember him? Not helpful.

But as the chaos of the holiday season unfolds, Thea and Simon find that the closer they work together, the hotter their attraction burns. Are they willing to risk everything they’ve worked toward…for each other?

I'm not sure I can remember the last time I read a book featuring a fire fighter, let alone a female fire fighter, so its to be a bit of a shame that at the start of the book Thea is hanging up her hose, and agrees to become the social media manager for the county's fire service. 

And the man giving her the training is the current social media manager at the library, Simon, who fancied Thea like mad when they were at high school and from their first re-meeting its clear those feelings may still be present. 

It starts fairly sweet but then the spice really does ramp up, and I loved the dynamics between Thea and Simon. 

There are great fire safety videos being made, which seem to put the pair in some wonderful positions! 

This is a really enjoyable story that I romped through. 

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

Book Review - Snowed in With You by Heidi Stephens

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Amazon UK

Title: Snowed In With You

Author: Heidi Stephens

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Headline Accent

Publication Date: 24th October 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

WHEN THINGS SNOWBALL, CAN FROSTY FEELINGS THAW?

Lucy hasn't left the country in years. In fact, she's barely left Bristol's city limits. So, when the opportunity presents itself to join a work trip to the Swiss Alps, she's wary, especially when she learns that it will coincide with that weekend - the one that, eleven years ago, tore her world in two.

But how can she turn down an all-expense-paid trip to the snow-capped Alps? Lucy knows what Leo would say if he were still with her, and besides, she'll have her work husband, Jonno, there for emotional support.

What - or who - she didn't bank on, however, was moody (read: rude) Nate stepping in at the last minute. And what's worse, they're the only two in the group who don't ski, so they're stuck with each other . . . up the side of a mountain in the middle of a snowstorm.

With the weather closing in, an avalanche leaves them snowbound in an alpine bar with an eclectic cast of fellow refugees. But with roaring log fires and steaming mugs of glühwein (and maybe a shot or two of Jägermeister), it's a chance for Lucy and Nate to discover there might be more to one another than meets the eye.

Where will their mountainside adventure leave them when the snow finally melts?

I think I would quite like to be Lucy.  She has initially a wonderful philosophy towards her love life and has made me consider trying something similar.  And then she ends up in the Swiss Alps, on a work trip, snowed in with a colleague who clearly has hidden depths! 

There is a journey of self growth for Lucy and I loved the motley crew she was snowed in with, up a mountain.  There is a huge cast of characters, but it was Nate that I really kept wanting to know more about. 

His journey in this book is even more impressive than Lucy's and the more I got to know him, the more I was falling for him myself.  

I was never completely sure who if anyone that Lucy might end up with, and although I know who I was rooting for, there were other good options! 

I was totally gripped by this book, I loved every second of it and it is fast cementing Heidi Stephens as an author I need to keep reading everything by. 

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

Book Review - The Ice Retreat by Ruth Kelly

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Amazon UK

Title: The Ice Retreat

Author: Ruth Kelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Pan

Publication Date: 24th October 2024 

Rating: 4 Stars

From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Ice Retreat is a spine-tingling thriller set in the world of controversial wellness treatments. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse.

HEALER?

Meet Hollie Jenson, presenter of the smash-hit docu-series Bad Medicine, which exposes the perils of extreme therapies. Her next target: a new retreat run by wellness guru Ariel Rose, who claims to have discovered the secret to healing pain through her three-day ice rebirth treatment.

LIAR?

Acting on a mother's plea to find her son, who vanished soon after his stay, Hollie ventures into the Swiss mountains where the retreat occupies a former observatory. There she will search for the boy, and hopes to expose Ariel as the charlatan she believes her to be.

KILLER?

As the isolation of the valley sets in, Hollie finds herself in an increasingly dangerous situation. There is much more to the retreat than meets the eye, and she must confront explosive secrets from her own past if she is to ever make it out alive . . .

This was the first time I've encountered a Ruth Kelly book, and I'm impressed. 

I'll admit the ending had me slightly befuddled but also open mouthed as I really would have never imagined the truth of the Ice Retreat.  

In fact the whole of this type of treatment, sounds rather cold and scary, and as Hollie who knows Science knows, shouldn't work.  Hollie is determined to debunk this place as a fraud at best, and possibly a cult, as that is what she does - makes documentaries about bad medical practices. 

I loved the whole creepy feeling about this story, especially once Hollie is at the retreat, trying to determine the truth.  And she has an ulterior motive for targeting this particular retreat, which had me guessing for a large portion of the book. 

Definitely got my blood pumping and adrenaline pumping towards the finale, as I wasn't really sure who to trust at all.   We get the story from three main view points, all quite different and unique, and I was totally hooked on finding out the truth. 

A really great book, that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. 

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

Book Review - The Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

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Amazon UK

Title: The Comfort Food Cafe

Author: Debbie Johnson

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 10th October 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Welcome to The Comfort Food Café!

It’s been a tough year for Maxine Connolly – so tough she's almost given up on finding her happy ending. But then she discovers The Comfort Food Café, shining like the star on top of the Christmas tree and welcoming her in to its cozy, cake-filled embrace for hot chocolates dripping with whipped cream, melty grilled cheese toasties and the funniest bunch of regulars she soon calls friends.

Then there’s gorgeous local Gabriel Moran, who looks at Max like she’s a present he can’t wait to unwrap – and she can’t help but think that, maybe, he’s just what she wants for Christmas too…

Such a warm and comforting book. It was like a cosy bear hug of a story, and I was totally absorbed by every word of it. 

And it was so good to be at the Comfort Food Cafe, after a few years of no new books in this series. I actually cheered when i spotted this book on the release schedules, as I love the series so much. 

I felt right at home from the first chapters, even before Maxine and daughter Sophie accept the job and move to Dorset.  These are some great characters and seeing how the developed as they get sucked into life in Budbury, really made me smile. 

As did being reunited with Laura, Cherie (who is amazing as always), and all the other people that are familiar to this series.  It was a total joy to read, and totally what is needed in these cold winter nights. 

I devoured this book in a day, and I couldn't get enough of it. I loved every single word, and really enjoyed Gabriel's transformation too.  There are even some dogs and a donkey - and I do love a book with animals .

There are some really lovely storylines, and it really is a true winter warmer of a read.  Please can we have more from this wonderful series. 

Book Review - Cosy Nights and Snowball Fights by Rosie Green

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Amazon UK

Title: Cosy Nights & Snowball Fights

Author: Rosie Green

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 5th October 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

As the nights draw in, gingerbread lattes and festive hot chocolates are on the menu, and the Little Duck Pond Café girls are gearing up for the cosiest time of the year. But new recruit Laurel just wishes she could sleep through the whole jolly affair! It might be October, but she's still haunted by the events of last Christmas. Could a new start in Sunnybrook help to heal her heart?

Well Rosie Green really does have a tendency to write cosy books and this no exception.  This was perfect for this time of year as the days are getting shorter and you just want to curl up with something to read. 

I absolutely loved meeting Laurel who is new to the Duck Pond Cafe, but that is clearly traumatised by something that happened last year at Christmas. I was totally convinced the whole way through I knew what had happened only to gasp out loud when it was finally revealed. 

Yup, the author played a blinder in shocking me in this story. I also enjoyed getting to know Laurel's family and the man she keeps running into. 

While her growing friendship with Maddy was good to see, and I loved getting to see how more of the wedding preparations were going. 

There is also a surprise birthday party in this book, for one of the series regulars (but not a main character), and it was totally heartwarming and almost made me swoon too. 

Just another totally brilliant addition to this long running and always entertaining series. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Bella's Countryside Christmas by Claire Huston

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Amazon UK

Title: Bella's Countryside Christmas

Author: Claire Huston

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 18th September 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

An uplifting festive romance perfect for fans of Hallmark Christmas movies and authors such as Phillipa Ashley, Trisha Ashley, Sue Moorcroft, Rebecca Raisin and Donna Ashcroft.

Fleeing her heartache and horrendous job, Bella stumbles upon a December wedding in the beautiful village of Haileybrook and the spirit of the season moves her to act as a fake date to handsome stranger Jack.

Jack and Bella hit it off, but Bella has to leave in a hurry and their magical evening soon becomes nothing more than a blissful memory.

A year later, Bella is returning to Haileybrook, seeking a fresh start and a quieter life. With a new job close to her cosy cottage home, a peaceful Christmas is surely only days away.

But it’s not long before family surprises, small-town feuds and romantic drama disrupt Bella’s plans, and she has to wonder if being alone is what she really wants for Christmas …

What a truly lovely story, I absolutely fell in love with Haileybrook, Jack and Bella from their first meeting. 

After all it's not every day you agree to be a fake date at a wedding to help a man you have literally just met, while trying to ignore the fact you probably should be at a work conference - but that is exactly what happened to Bella. 

And I loved their dynamic from the start, and some of what Bella did was so so amusing. 

And then once we move onto the main part of the book set a year later, the book gets even better. I just loved every second of this story. 

It's enjoyable, it's definitely festive with the Christmas fair, there are fabulous characters in the retirement home that Bella is now working in, and there is even a minor mystery to be solved.  So much going on, never a dull moment and totally fabulous book. 

This can easily be read as a standalone and I will definitely be keen to read more from this author in the future. 

Thank you the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Last Man Standing by M A Comley

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Amazon UK

Title: Last Man Standing

Author: M A Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 17th October 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

With a serial killer on the loose, trust is a luxury no one can afford, and everyone is a suspect.

When DI Sara Ramsey receives a chilling call from her pathologist friend, she learns of a shocking murder—a local vicar has been killed. But why him, and why now?

He might be the first victim, but he won't be the last.

In a small hamlet in Hereford, the killer seems to be targeting victims based on their roles in the community. As the body count rises, Sara must race against time to unmask the murderer before the entire village falls under a shadow of terror.

I couldn't get enough of this book, I whizzed through it, and even though I was utterly convinced I had an idea who the killer was, I was totally wrong (although did guess what the key issue was!). 

Always good to be reading another DI Sara Ramsey story, and this is another cracking instalment. 

There are a series of shocking murders in a really small hamlet which is rather unusual for the area, but yet it is clear the murders are pre-meditated and yet the police don't seem to have any real leads to go on. 

I always enjoy seeing how the investigation comes together and this really ramped up to a thrilling conclusion. 

The story had unnerved me enough that I regretted reading it just before bed and then kept thinking I could hear noises, although I did get some sleep, but other than that I couldn't wait to finish it the following morning.  

It's easy to read, kept me on my toes and was just yet another really impressive book from one of my go to crime authors. 

Thank you to the author for for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - 'Tis The Damn Season by Fiona Gibson

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Amazon UK

Title: 'Tis The Damn Season

Author: Fiona Gibson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 11th September 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

This year, their families can deck the bloody halls themselves...

Old friends Shelley, Lena and Pearl have reached their limit with the festive preparation that has always fallen to them, and five days before Christmas, they’ve booked a mini break… without their families. Up until Christmas Eve, they’ll be sipping prosecco in the Highlands while their kids wrap bacon around 100 chipolatas and their partners brave the supermarkets.

It’s exactly what they need… until they’re snowed in. Facing the prospect of Christmas 500 miles from home, each woman is forced to confront her real reasons for needing to escape: the fiance with the obnoxious family; the son’s new girlfriend who is taking over their home; the family who take their mother for granted all year round…

Will the friends make it home before Christmas day? And if they do, can they really go back to their old lives?

So forget Elf on the Shelf and get ready for Mums on the Run in the hilarious and heartwarming new novel from Fiona Gibson.

It has been a while since I last read a Fiona Gibson novel and at the moment I'm struggling to work out why. For this was really funny, and a thoroughly entertaining story. 

I loved Shelley, Lena and Pearl's escape to the Highlands right before Christmas, as they reached their limits with their home situations.  And what an escape it is, given they end up running the B&B for a few days! 

We also get chapters from a couple of their other halves so we can see what is going on back home, and wow I did not like Shelley's husband, what a cocky git he is! 

This is the sort of escape that I think many people wish they could do at a hectic time of year, especially if it feels like the Christmas preparations are rather one sided.  There are many memorably funny moments in this book, including a situation with a tub of celebrations! 

This is just a really enjoyable book that is a real tonic in the run up to Christmas. 

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

Book Review - How To Slay At Work by Sarah Bonner

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Amazon UK

Title: How To Slay At Work

Author: Sarah Bonner

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 24th September 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

When your boss is at a conference in a city where there's a suspicious death, it's unlucky.

If it happens twice, it's odd.

But when she's in the same city at the same time as a third unexplained death . . .

Could she be a stone-cold killer?

Millie's always known her boss Freya is a psycho – the demanding and ever-changing coffee orders, the cryptic instructions, the apparently expected mind reading and don't even start on the insistence that Millie wears heels . . . All. The. Time.

But it only extends as far as exacting office standards. Right?

As Freya's assistant, Millie has privileged access to her diary and travel history and when a pattern emerges of men (who seem to have no connection to each other) dying in cities where Freya is travelling, Millie is determined to figure out what's going on.

After all, a stone-cold killer could be exactly what Millie needs . . .

Wow...

... speechless

... utterly gripped

... devoured in two sittings 

... perfect poolside reading (or garden in my case)

... totally didn't see any of it coming

That is pretty much what is running through my head currently, having just finished reading this fabulous thriller, with revenge and vengeance at its heart. 

I was enthralled by the dynamics between Millie and Freya, and just what is revealed over the course of the book.

What I do know is that I need to read more from this author, there is something about this book that makes me know that I'll love anything Sarah Bonner writes.  It's the most hooked  I have been on a book for ages, and I absolutely adored it. 

It has girl power vibes all over it, despite the fact there might be murder involved.  I loved all the reasoning, the characters pasts and although one reveal I had worked out, it wasn't anything like what came after that point. 

With a whole lot of international travel (which always thrills me), some incredibly cunning and devious main characters, this story is just fabulous. 

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

Book Review - This Is Not A Holiday Romance by Camilla Isley

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Amazon UK

Title: This Is Not A Holiday Romance

Author: Camilla Isley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 4th September 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Two sworn enemies, snowed in over Christmas with chemistry that will melt the ice!

Nina Thompson has one Christmas wish: to avoid her brother's obnoxiously handsome best friend, Tristan, like the plague. From the moment he humiliated her as a teenager to their escalating revenge schemes, Nina and Tristan's relationship can only be defined as an all-out prank war! And there is yet to be a winner.

But it just so happens the ghost of Christmas present has other ideas. When Tristan unexpectedly crashes her family's Christmas, Nina's dreams of a peaceful holiday vanish faster than Santa up a chimney. Determined to end their rivalry for good, she braces herself for one last prank-filled showdown.

But when they find themselves snowed in, with no way of avoiding each other amongst the holiday festivities, they discover their heated exchanges have been masking a different kind of sizzle. Caught in a snow globe of holiday romance, they decide to let their fiery chemistry burn bright—but this is absolutely and unequivocally nothing more than a secret fling destined to melt with the snow, this is not a forever romance...

This Is Not a Holiday Romance is an enemies to lovers, brother's best friend, forced proximity rom-com perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Abby Jimenez, and Lynn Painter.

Ooh this was a lot of fun to read.  The banter and pranks between Nina and Tristan are utterly brilliant.  I couldn't get enough of them. 

And as they say there is a very fine line between love and hate especially once you throw in some close proximity.  Plus it's set at Christmas, and I just couldn't get enough of this book. 

It's fun, it's flirty, it's festive, it's just fabulous. 

We get to learn just why Nina and Tristan seem to be at war, as well as their true feelings that change over the course of the book.  Of  course Tristan being Nina's brother's best friend is an added complication and the fact they are all saying at Nina's parents for the festive period means that although there might be an attraction there is also a lot of subtle teasing, that is fabulous to read. 

I devoured this book, read it in under a day and just loved every second of it.  Another totally entertaining novel from Camilla Isley. 

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