Book Review - The Christmas Express by Isla Gordon

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Title: The Christmas Express

Author: Isla Gordon

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Sphere

Publication Date: 7th November 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

SIX PASSENGERS . . .

When six ex-friends are invited to a winter wedding in Canada, the last thing they want is a reunion. But bride-to-be Bryn is desperate, so much so that she's offering to pay for their travel. But there's a surprise in store: Bryn hasn't booked them flights, instead she's bought non-refundable tickets for the cross-Canada Christmas train.

FOUR DAYS . . .

Four days trapped together in a cosy train cabin, travelling through snow-topped mountains, frozen lakes and glistening Christmas trees, over the most magical time of the year. It's a trip like no other and Bryn hopes it will end their feud just in time for the wedding.

ONE LAST CHANCE AT LOVE . . .

But tensions on board are fraught. Cali and Luke are each other's One Who Got Away, Joss and Joe are the ultimate sibling rivals, and Sara is stuck with the people who always left her out. Not to mention Ember, Bryn's ex, who wasn't even invited and is on her way to crash the wedding.

Then a snowstorm hits and stops them -literally - in their tracks. Will they make it to the wedding? And will it be together?

Set across a breathtaking winter wonderland and filled with cosy hot chocolates and a will-they-won't-they romance, this is the perfect festive treat for fans of Sarah Morgan and Heidi Swain

What an epic Christmas book that was. I was hooked from the first few pages, and I couldn't get enough of it. 

For it features a cross Canada train journey, in the run up to Christmas and the descriptions were just amazing. It almost made me want to take such a journey myself, but I'm not a huge fan of the cold! 

And within this train you have five estranged former friends, on their way to Bryn's wedding who used to be the sixth member of their incredibly close friendship group.  And they also found Bryn's ex, Ember on the journey too, who is adamant that Bryn has been sending her signals that they should get back together. 

The whole time I was curious as to just what broke up this group of friends, and also to see if the forced proximity between them on a four day train journey would aid them or destroy them completely. 

I loved getting to know our various characters especially Cali, and Ember. I felt for both of them, and they were our main focus points.  The dynamics at play between everyone varied continually and I also loved the fact that the train journey allowed short stops in some of the places on the route, and also put on a few activities in the run up to Christmas. 

It's a gorgeously festive book that I absolutely adored.  Another complete and utter winner from Isla Gordon. I loved it. 

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