Book Review - The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: The Christmas Book Club

Author: Sarah Morgan

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 26th October 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Could this Christmas be the start of a whole new chapter?

‘A heart-warming Christmas story of friendship, family and love – what a treat’

Lucy Diamond, author of The Best Days of Our Lives

‘Uplifting and compelling’ My Weekly

* * *

A long-lasting friendship

Every year, Erica, Claudia, and Anna reunite for their book club holiday. They’re bonded by years of friendship and a deep love of books, but there is still so much they keep from each other . . .

A perfect Christmas escape

At the cosy Maple Sugar Inn, Hattie specialises in making her guests’ dreams come true, but this Christmas all she wants is to survive the festive season. Between running the inn and being a single mother, Hattie is close to breaking point.

The start of a brand-new story…?

Over the course of an eventful week, Hattie sees that the friends are each carrying around unspoken truths, but nothing prepares her for how deeply her story will become entwined in theirs. Will this Christmas be the end of the book club’s story or the start of a whole new chapter?

***

The queen of Christmas romance has outdone herself once again.  This was festive, it was heartwarming, it was unputdownable. 

I mean I literally had to read the last half of the book in one sitting, ignoring the fact that I possibly should have been working, as I was so engrossed in the story, I didn't want to be apart from it, for any time. 

It was an absolute joy to read, and I loved getting to know Erica, Claudia, Anna, Hattie and Delphi. A superb selection of characters, and amazingly for a story that has the words book club in the title, - not huge amounts of discussion of books (which weirdly I'm pleased about, as sometimes in similar sorts of novels that can be overdone to the point you wonder how many books you have read within one),  

There is though the most picturesque setting, the Maple Sugar Inn in Vermont, which just the name of it when it was spoken in the first few pages, conjured up an image, of a magical winter location, that Sarah Morgan is good at writing.   And as the three friends, and Hattie's stories intertwine in ways that work so well,  I found I wanted to go and visit this Inn myself. 

Anna, Erica and Claudia are three incredibly different people but are the best of friends.  I found it took me a while to totally warm to Eric, although I admired her from the start, and I'd say she has the most character development over the course of the book.  

And then there is Delphi, Hattie's daughter, who loves sharks and dinosaurs and is so advanced for her age.  I loved every scene she was in, and the innocence of a child shines right through the pages. 

This is everything I want in a book and more. I adored it totally and loved every single second of it.  Another triumph for one of my most favourite authors. 

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

Book Review - The Blackout by Sarah Goodwin

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: The Blackout

Author: Sarah Goodwin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 31st August 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

You can't outrun the past…

Summer, 2022. When Meg and Cat are forced to take a dangerous shortcut home one night, they notice two men silently following them. Suddenly running for their lives, they scramble into an abandoned building to hide and wait for help.

…for what’s done in the dark will come to light…

One year later. Attempting to escape the horrors of that fateful night, Meg barricades herself into a safehouse at the edge of a crumbling sea cliff. As a storm rages outside, a blackout plunges the house into darkness. But Meg’s not alone.

…and someone wants revenge.

This is a twisty locked-room thriller for fans of Sarah Pearse, Lucy Foley and Jane Harper that will leave you breathless.

Wow what did I just read? I mean I devoured this in about 3 sittings, the first of which I wasn't completely convinced, but the second it got going, I was reading for longer and longer without a care in the world of what I probably should have been doing. 

This was claustrophobic, it was addictive, it has twists that I didn't see coming, and it has a flawed main character that I seemed to have sympathy for, even after various secrets were revealed, which didn't show her in a flattering light. 

I think this may be the third book I've now read from Sarah Goodwin and I have to say in all cases I've been totally amazed and she is now becoming an auto read author for me.  I'm loving the various plots she is coming up with, and this one has left me open mouthed in shock. 

There are though details in this book that could trigger you, if you have experienced them yourself, as horrific things and view points are detailed very clearly. 

Meg and Cat's initial story is a situation that will unfortunately be familiar to many women, although not with the same outcome I hope, and it's this sense of realness and grit that can be found throughout the book. 

All times there is a sense of possible danger, and darkness, and the lengths Meg has gone to to try to protect herself are rather shocking but understandable. 

I was totally hooked on this, and just wow! 

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

Book Review - Five Gold Rings by Kristen Bailey

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: Five Gold Rings

Author: Kristen Bailey

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Storm Publishing

Publication Date: 30th October 2023

Rating: 4 Stars

Five gold rings. Delivered to the wrong addresses. Five Christmas proposals and weddings ruined. Unless Eve can save the day…?

As Christmas lights twinkle around London, twenty-eight-year-old Eve arrives home ready to celebrate her favourite holiday, only to find… her boyfriend in the shower with a pretty blonde.

Heartbroken, Eve throws the gifts she’s selflessly bought and wrapped for HIS family out of the window, then heads to Caspars’ Jeweller’s, where she works, for some tea and sympathy.

But there she discovers another drama unfolding; five rings have gone AWOL, and unless she can track them down and deliver them to their rightful owners five perfectly planned festive weddings and proposals will end in disaster.

Eve’s colleague Joe – moonlighting as a naked butler at a Christmas party – races to assist on her wild goose chase across London, dressed as a sexy elf.

Together they set off on a mission to save Christmas. And along the way, just maybe, some of that festive cheer and romance might rub off on Eve and Joe, and help heal Eve’s broken heart…

An utterly hilarious novel for anyone looking for festive romance with all the feels. If you have a hot date with Love Actually every Christmas you will adore this gloriously funny and unmissable festive read.

I could totally see this book as a film! There are so many giggle worthy moments, and romantic moments too, that it is dying out to be made onto a big or little screen.  Actually I could probably see it as a stage production too - it's just so enjoyable. 

It's such a lovely story, and the mission to deliver 5 gold rings over the run upto Christmas, leads to so many fabulous situations. 

Oh and did I mention that Eve's co-Christmas good deeder - also works as a sexy elf, complete with his own jingle balls (I mean bells). 

There is just fun, innuendo and even more around every page.  

For Joe has fancied Eve for ages and just wants to make her feel better after she caught her boyfriend receiving a job in the shower (you can use your imagination as to what sort of a job).  Eve goes a bit ballistic, in one of the best instant revenge type scenes I've read in a long while. 

And there is even better revenge later in the book that had me greatly amused too, but I won't spoil it.  So when her employers at the jewellers, ask them to team up to deliver these rings it is very fortunate timing. 

Each chapter is split so that we get some from Eve's perspective and some from Joe's and I loved getting to know both characters. 

This book is a lot of fun, and made me feel quite festive and also it's full of romantic gestures too - all over London. 

Utterly enjoyable, provides hours of fun and amusement while you are reading it. I really should this author more often! 

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

 

Book Review - Four Weddings and A Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: Four Weddings and a Christmas

Author: Phillipa Ashley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 9th November 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Can the spirit of Christmas reignite an old flame?

With her thriving business Cottage Angels, Freya Bolton prepares the Lake District’s holiday homes for Christmas visitors. It’s her job to think of everything, from cinnamon-scented candles to tasteful decorations and hampers of seasonal treats.

If only her love life were such a success… After being burned by past relationships, she’s now determined to steer clear of love for good.

So when she bumps into gorgeous – and single – ex-boyfriend Travis, a no-strings festive fling seems perfect.

But when her feelings for him begin to develop, is she on track for another romantic calamity? Or could this Christmas give her the gift of true love?

This gorgeous Christmas romance from Sunday Times bestseller Phillipa Ashley will take you to the Lake District with a story of second chance love as heartwarming as a cup of mulled wine. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Karen Swan and Heidi Swain.

What a heartwarming story set in the picturesque Lake District. 

I really enjoyed getting to know Freya and Travis. From an opening that almost alarmed me at first until it was explained in more details, to their first re-meeting many years later, this story has it all. 

Travis had a tricky family dynamic, but has made a success of his life, but he is worried about younger brother Seb.  Freya seems to be slightly commitment phobic in her personal life but is running a successful business.

Some of my favourite funny moments in this story involved Freya's mum as she is opening things sent to her for her Instagram account. 

I was in awe of Travis' talent and the descriptions of some of his photos were so vivid I felt as though I could really see them. 

This had a warm and cosy vibe to it, that I was loving. It was easy enough to read despite my post COVID jab exhaustion, and I was able to follow everything and be keen to keep reading.  It was a really lovely story and another sure fire hit for this talented author.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor by Christie Barlow

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor

Author: Christie Barlow

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 28th September 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Snuggle up ready for winter with this gorgeous cosy romance!

Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what

Fashion designer Libby Carter has always loved weddings, so when her brother finds himself in a bind and asks her to step in and plan the perfect winter wonderland wedding for guests at his hotel, Starcross Manor, she happily takes on the challenge. But this is no ordinary Christmas wedding and when everything starts to go awry Libby asks gorgeous videographer Guy Hart for help.

This isn’t single dad Guy’s usual gig – and he is not a fan of weddings – but saying no to vivacious Libby isn’t an option … especially when saying yes leads to one very unforgettable kiss under the mistletoe!

I don't have the words to describe about fabulous this book really is. 

It's just Christie Barlow and Heartcross at their very best, and easily one of my favourite books of this always amazing series. 

It's full of winter wedding vibes, and Libby is a fabulous new character, and it's good to see and get to know Guy some more.  

There are all sorts of shenanigans going on, and nothing runs particularly smoothly. I love Libby's reaction to the colour scheme the competition winning bride and groom want for their big winter wedding.  To say it's unusual would be an understatement. 

I did guess some of what was going on, but had to keep reading to see if I would be correct or not. 

And catching up with all of my favourite Love Heart Lane characters is always a joy, especially when we get to see the continuation of one of their stories specifically.   

It was a joy to read, and I whizzed through the pages which left me with warmth in my heart and a giant grin on my face.   

I love this series so much, and wish that it wasn't starting to come to an end. 

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

Book Review - The Perfect Christmas Village by Bella Osborne

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: The Perfect Christmas Village

Author: Bella Osborne

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 20th October 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Tis the season.... for a Christmas cynic to have his frozen heart melted by festive magic.

When Christmas-hating Sam moves to Holly Cross, he thinks he's found the perfect home, until he discovers that, each year, Holly Cross transforms into the most Christmassy village in the whole country...

Blythe is just one sale away from being Real Estate Agent of the Month, so she twists the truth to sell a home to city boy Sam, who is looking for the perfect house in the perfect location. Little does he know he's just bought a cottage in the middle of the most Christmassy village in the country. And if there's one thing Sam loathes, it's Christmas.

Sam's arrival puts Holly Cross's chance to win the title of Britain's Most Perfect Christmas Village now in jeopardy, and the villagers are soon up in arms. Meanwhile, Sam is in his own personal hell surrounded by fairy lights and everyone is looking to Blythe to fix things.

But as the festive season looms, maybe there's more than just Christmas in Holly Cross for Sam to fall in love with...

How I loved this book, and especially the village of Holly Cross. In fact I loved all the characters with the possible exception of the overbearing Leonora who just drove me slightly mad. 

But everyone else was wonderful, and getting to know the villagers, and seeing all of their festive activities really made me start of feel a bit Christmassy.   

This is definitely a grumpy - sunshine sort of a book with Blythe being the sunshine and Sam being the Christmas hating new person in the village, despite moving to a place that is this year competing to to win the Most Perfect Christmas Village crown. 

Whether Blythe who sold him the house, can somehow make him change his mind though is another matter.  

I enjoyed all the activities in the village from the pumpkin carving, fireworks and amongst others of note the Sexy Santa dinner, which I would have loved to have been at in person! 

This is full of festive charm and the joys of the season, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every word.  Definitely one to put on your Christmas reading TBR this year. 

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

Book Review - Escape to Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: Escape to Sunshine Cove

Author: Debbie Johnson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Storm Publishing

Publication Date: 19th July 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

​Ella steps through the gate, and within seconds is standing at the edge of the most perfect beach she’s ever seen – a small horseshoe of sand fringing a rolling blanket of sparkling turquoise sea. Breathing in the fresh, salty air, she wipes the tears from her cheeks. Surely, in a place as beautiful as this, she can finally be happy?

Ella Farrell has reached breaking point. Shattered by her job and her boyfriend’s recent betrayal, she grabs her stuff and flees down the coast. When her car breaks down a few miles short of Cornwall, she’s astonished by where she’s ended up. Not on any map, the tiny seaside village of Starshine Cove is almost too perfect for words. A cobbled lane lined with pretty, thatched cottages slopes towards a pristine white beach… has she finally lost it, or is this place for real?

Spotting a little café on the edge of the cove, Ella settles in. It’s not long before – with a wedge of homemade raspberry cheesecake in front of her – Ella finds herself promising Connie, the café’s Dolly Parton-lookalike owner, that she might just stick around.

As days turn into weeks, Ella warms to the quirky little village and the people who live there. Particularly Jake, the broad-shouldered, dark-haired landlord of the Starshine Inn. As they sip cocktails together at sundown, Ella feels they’ve been friends for years… except that her heart does a little flip-flop whenever their eyes meet. Jake also came to Starshine Cove by chance – was he too trying to run away from something?

Just as Ella begins to feel the tension she’s carried for so long beginning to ease, the past comes knocking on her rustic, driftwood door. Will Ella find the strength to embrace this place and forge a new path, or is Starshine Cove – and her growing connection with Jake – simply too good a dream to last?

From the million-copy bestselling author of the Comfort Food Café series, this is a heart-warming tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the extraordinary healing power of a community that finds you when you need it most.

From the first chapter, this book was giving me the same warm and fuzzy feeling that Debbie Johnson's previous Comfort Food Cafe series, gave me.  It's a book I felt completely at home at within pages, and I couldn't read it quick enough. 

It's not all warm and fuzzy though, as it definitely also touches on themes such as the affect of the pandemic on healthcare professional's especially their mental health. 

While set in the most amazing of settings, Starshine Cove.  I loved every single description of Starshine Cove. It is such a special setting, and all of the locals at a mix of bonkers, and totally loveable.

And for Ella, it may be the place she can finally stop running and start sorting out her life. If she can bring herself to connect with people again.  

Between naked karaoke, mystery cricket, a Dolly Parton lookalike, a doctor who is unsure if she wishes to continue working in the field, and a gorgeous "pub daddy, along with a village that communicates by walkie talkies - this is quirky, it's fun and I couldn't get enough of this book. 

It is such a heartwarming story, and it's the most perfect first book of a brand new series. I'm already keen to read the next one, I'm missing my friends in Starshine Cove already.  

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

Book Review - The Night Before Christmas by Alex Pine

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: The Night Before Christmas

Author: Alex Pine

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 26th October 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

This Christmas, the hunters become the hunted…

When four trail hunters go missing in the fells of Cumbria on Christmas Eve, the race is on to find them before nightfall – when the temperature plummets.

After hours of searching, the first body is found… Not frozen in the snow, but brutally murdered and bearing a warning: the real hunt has begun.

As a snowstorm descends, three lives hang in the balance. But can the killer be caught before the trail goes cold?

From the master of Christmas crime comes a thriller that will chill you to the bone this Winter, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Clare Mackintosh and anyone who prefers their mince pies with a side of murder.

I'm starting to think that DI James Walker is cursed when it comes to the Christmas period.  For the 4th year in a row he has a major murder case to work on, this one kicking off on Christmas Eve. 

Although initially it looks like it could just be a missing persons case, with a group of 4 men who had gone out for trail hunt, in the fells of Cumbria on Christmas Eve and hadn't returned when expected. And the weather forecast is shocking. 

As the investigation proceeds, it becomes fairly clear that hunting is a big key part of this book, and whatever side of the fence you fall on, there are people in this story that will reflect your viewpoint.

What is clear is that this is a very controversial topic, and I don't think I liked a single person that we came across in the investigation. 

And what a case this is for DI James and his team, there are large numbers of possible suspects, and although at one point my mind did hit on the correct answer, I was completely stumped when it came to motivation.  Although i did sort of guess the motivation but still not quite correctly. 

So hard to guess, and I was entranced by every step, and highly curious to see just how the police team would solve it. 

It's another fabulous instalment in this series, and I loved reading it, and will be keen to see what will happen next in this great series. 

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

Book Review - Christmas at the Cat Cafe by Jessica Redland

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: Christmas at the Cat Cafe

Author: Jessica Redland

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 15th September 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

It's the most wonderful time of the year on Castle Street, and there's a paw-some new business opening....

It had always been Tabby's dream to work with cats and an inheritance from her beloved nanna has finally made that a reality. Idyllic Castle Street in Whitsborough Bay couldn’t be a better place for pastry chef Tabby to open a cat café with her boyfriend, Leon.

But when Leon leaves her in the lurch, the pressure mounts for Tabby. With Christmas fast approaching, she has to open the café on her own – a daunting prospect, especially when she's been hiding her health issues from the ones she loves.

Faced with local resistance to the café – and somebody seemingly determined that she won’t succeed – Tabby will need her friends, family and cats more than ever to recover her broken Christmas spirit and pull together for a Christmas miracle.

Will the cat café bring the festive joy to Castle Street as Tabby had hoped or will it be a cat-astrophe? And can the magic of Christmas on Castle Street mend Tabby's broken heart as well as her business?

Escape with million-copy bestseller Jessica Redland this Christmas for the purr-fect festive treat!

From the opening page of the book I knew it would be special.  And I don't mean the first page of chapter one, I mean the explanation of who all the cats are and which real cats they are based on.  It was such a special touch, and introduced us instantly to the care and level of detail, plus specialness of how the fur babies would be depicted in this story. 

And it is becoming incredibly apparent that Jessica Redland is a massive animal lover, not just a hedgehog fan, as whenever there are this many animals in one of her books, you just feel the affection and care for them. 

I loved the idea of a cat cafe, and loved seeing how it was all set up and explained how it would work. 

But what really makes this book even above our feline friends, who I totally loved, all of them, is the depiction of Fibromyalgia that our main character Tabby has.  It is clear a lot of research has been put into this and explaining what its like to live with a chronic pain condition, in such a sensitive and empathetic way, is eye opening. 

It's eye opening and such a special book in so many ways. Plus it was amazing to back in Whitsborough Bay, back on Castle Street and getting to catch up with even briefly with the lives of other shop owners that have featured in previous books was such a joy for this massive Jessica Redland fan. 

A totally amazing book, I couldn't read it fast enough, I even went to be earlier than normal so I could read for a long while undistracted, and made any excuse to pick up my kindle to make sure I devoured this. 

Just brilliant!

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

Book Review - Christmas Wishes at the Lakeside Cottage by Erin Green

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: Christmas Wishes at the Lakeside Cottage

Author: Erin Green

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Review

Publication Date: 28th September 2023

Rating:4 Stars

Welcome to the Lakeside Cottage . . . a place for loved ones to share the perfect seasonal escape . . .

The Carmichaels are gearing up to make this festive season the Christmas of all Christmases, as this blended family gathers at the Lakeside Cottage for a Boxing Day wedding...

Lowry can't help but think her mum's whirlwind marriage is more than a little rash. But after she raised her single-handedly, Lowry is determined to be there in return.

Helen has watched her ex-husband remarry three times already. The fourth might succeed in breaking her heart. Or it might force her to finally move on.

Martha has worked for the Carmichaels for over three decades and has guarded all their secrets. Now she has a secret of her own. Admitting it will be the hardest thing she's ever done.

These three women will do anything for their loved ones. But as revelations come to light amongst the stunning snowy countryside, the greatest lesson will be learning how to live for themselves too.

A few days after finishing reading this and my head is still spinning.  I'm not sure I've read about a more complicated and surprising set of family dynamics ever. 

There is so many connections and interconnections between all the Carmichael gang, that it's amazing how easy the story is to follow, once you have the basics sorted in your mind. 

The fact that Lowry is only just meeting everyone for the first time, helps as a storytelling device to let her and the reader to get to know everyone. 

What did take my by surprise mainly cos I rarely read blurbs is that I was expecting this to be related to Summer Dreams at Lakeside Cottage, and can now safely say they are two very standalone stories, with no connection other than the setting. 

Featuring a massive blended family, a birthday, Christmas and a wedding, in addition to almost as many ex-wives to rival Henry VIII, and an adorable cat with kittens  - there is a lot going on this story.  And it was a pleasure to read it. 

I really felt for Lowry as coming into this family, to watch her mother marry Rupert, can't be easy, and her first encounter with her new step-father to be doesn't really go according to plan. 

There are secrets galore within this family and I loved discovering each and every one of them. 

It was a very enjoyable story to read, set once again in a fabulous location. 

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