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Firstly. how gorgeous is this cover? It just screams Christmas, cosy, romance, escapist and everything this book promises to be. I absolutely adore it. Jaimie’s 2020 Christmas release, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, was my favourite Christmas read of 2020. Would this book live up to that high?!

Blurb:

Sasha Hansley hates Christmas. As a child, it was her favourite time of year, but ever since the tragic death of her mother, it has completely lost its magic.

But when she gets an unexpected phone call from her estranged father, she’s forced to dust off her snow boots.

He’s been running a Lapland style Christmas village in Norway and after suffering a heart attack, he is on strict doctor’s orders to slow down. Eager to reconnect with her dad, Sasha books the next flight out there. Only she’s never actually been on a plane before, let alone to the Arctic Circle.

Met at the runway by drop-dead-gorgeous Taavi Salvesen, they sleigh ride through the snow with the Northern Lights guiding their way.

When Sasha uncovers sacks of unopened Santa mail – letters that children and adults from all over the world write to Santa every year – she realises that she can send a little bit of magic out into the world by replying to some of them.

With Taavi on hand to help, will Sasha rediscover her own excitement for Christmas and find love among the letters?

The Post Box at the North Pole is like one big romantic mug of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and a splash of Christmas magic! Fans of Holly Martin, Sarah Morgan and Heidi Swain will love this novel!

My thoughts:

For everyone who still looks to the skies on Christmas Eve and hopes to see something magical.

Well, it was a tough ask but this is definitely on a par with, if not better than, Jaimie’s previous Christmas release. I’m not sure how any other seasonal book I read this year will top it.

I devoured the book very quickly as I found it quite unputdownable, and I finished it feeling bereft that it was ending and I was having to leave the North Pole Forest.

This is a sparkling and touching book where the warmth of the characters, their homes and hearts juxtapose the cold and brutal setting. That’s not to say these characters are perfect, as they’ve certainly got their issues that they need to overcome and grievances to face. Sasha is a reliable, generous character but she is also lacking in self-confidence and self-belief, which results in some sticky white lies in an attempt to make her father proud! Her father, is a proud old man who still seems to be struggling to find his place in the world. Tav is an independent, stubborn man but is also the most hard-working, thoughtful and beautiful man you’re ever likely to meet (real or fictional!). I just adored these lively, relatable characters.

“The lights above are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and I have an overwhelming feeling of emotion. This is something I never, ever imagined I’d see in my lifetime…”

This is just one of the stunning descriptions in this book of the beautiful North Pole Forest setting. I don’t really know if this is a ‘real place’, but during reading this book I definitely felt transported to this magical, icy wonderland. Jaimie is clearly a talented storyteller and creator or perfect Christmas settings!

The story itself also carries you along and I definitely found myself lost in it. It is an emotional rollercoaster, a romance in some senses but also a beautiful exploration of home, identity, family, relationships, love and the meaning and relevance of Christmas in the 21st century.

“I’ve always thought that happily every after begins with happily – you’ve got to be in the right place to find it.”

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I absolutely would as I adored it from start to finish. I would recommend this book to fans of festive fiction from authors such as Milly Johnson and Sarah Morgan.

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I was drawn to this book as I love psychological and domestic fiction but I also really enjoyed The Street Party by this author earlier this year.

Blurb:

I knew it wouldn’t be easy for my kids to adjust when we moved to a tiny village where they didn’t know a soul. But after the death of my husband, we needed a fresh start.

Suddenly, we’re outsiders. I know the only way we’ll be accepted is if I throw myself into my new life, so when my son joins a local club, I volunteer to help along with the other parents.

Before moving here, I didn’t know people like this really existed; their lives seem too perfect to be real. Although my own life couldn’t be more different, they welcome me into the fold. For the first time since my husband died, I feel like I made the right decision for my family…

That is until I overhear something that tells me these other parents aren’t as perfect as they seem. Something that turns my world upside down again.

My secret has already ruined my life once. I thought the truth had died with my husband… I should have known that it wouldn’t be buried for long.

My thoughts:

This is definitely a slow burn and the opening of the book definitely gives off a sense of domestic bliss, which is unravelled slowly but surely. The opening of the book hints at some disharmony and brings to the fore some issues such as racism, disability and alcoholism but mostly focuses on grievances surrounding the local football team, which appears very tame and not exactly what you’d expect from a book branded as a thriller.

However, stick with it and you’ll see there’s lots of domestic tension and suspense to uncover. The fact that it centres around vlogging and football give it a modern and mainstream appeal.

Once again, there are quite a few characters to follow but as you read your interest in the main characters are peaked and they begin to develop their own distinctive voice, thanks to Claire’s effective use of multiple narrative perspectives.

The story develops in surprising and unexpected ways. There are a lot of threads to unpick but it is definitely an enjoyable and original piece of fiction that I would recommend to fans of Samantha Hayes and Sam Hepburn.

I am so excited to be involved in the blog tour celebrating the paperback publication of this book, which is definitely one of my top 21 books of 2021!

Blurb:

They were all there. So which one of them did it?

It’s that time of year when the glacier gives up bodies. But there’s one in particular someone is looking out for. When five friends meet for a reunion in an isolated mountain lodge, things turn deadly in the must-read thriller of the year. Fans of Lucy Foley and Lisa Jewell will be gripped by spectacular debut novel Shiver.

When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. While she would rather forget the events of that winter, the invitation comes from Curtis, the one person she can’t seem to let go.

The five friends haven’t seen each other for ten years, since the disappearance of the beautiful and enigmatic Saskia. But when an icebreaker game turns menacing, they realise they don’t know who has really gathered them there and how far they will go to find the truth.

In a deserted lodge high up a mountain, the secrets of the past are about to come to light.

My thoughts:

As you can see from the blurb, much of the action revolves around discovering the truth behind an event that happened ten years ago. In order to build up to this, and for the reader to truly understand what happened, the writer uses an original and explosive dual narrative, where she navigates between the past and present day. The clear chapter organisation ensures that these events are completely separate yet they feed off each other and build on each other in order to continue to heighten the tension for the reader.

The characters in this novel are brilliantly created. There is only a small circle of five main characters, and we get to know each of them quite well. Although, it is Milla’s perspective we see the events from, but surprisingly this did not mean I trusted and believed her throughout. I would describe her as an unreliable narrator, but I have loved this aspect as it kept me on the edge of my seat.

There is so much danger, action and drama within the book, I really wondered how, or if, the ending would be able to take this to another level. It certainly did! The ending is action packed, thrilling and completely unpredictable.

This is a truly brilliant novel and it is clear that Allie Reynolds deserves that this novel becomes a best seller. It is perfect for thriller fans and fans of Lisa Jewell, Lucy Foley and T M Logan.

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I love Camilla’s books and I was so excited that she was releasing multiple Christmas themed books this year! I love romantic comedies but Christmas themed ones are among my favourites. Camilla is a true romantic comedy writer too, in that her books are actually really funny!!

Blurb:

Caroline is a cynic career woman living the high life in Manhattan where love and relationships are but a distant memory of the past.

But after a freak accident on Christmas Eve, Caroline receives a visit from a cheeky spirit of Christmas Past, Present, Yet to Come, and—most importantly—Christmas That Could Have Been.

When she wakes up on Christmas Day suddenly married with three kids and living two doors down from her parents in New Jersey, Caroline has a chance to experience the life she would’ve had if she’d made a different choice.

Will small-town life as a mother and a wife make her fall in love again and rediscover what’s really important in life and?

A modern-day retelling of A Christmas Carol…

My thoughts:

I’ve read, heard and seen a few retellings of A Christmas Carol over the past few years and I’ve never been sold on any of them, until this one.

I was pulled into this one from the premise but also from the beginning as we meet Caroline. I wasn’t sure what to make of her as a character for much of the book, but I definitely found her believable and also had an appropriately complex backstory and dislike of Christmas.

The structure of the story is obviously very different to the normal àaaaaaaaaaaà comaaaaaaaaaaedy as it follows a number of different scenarios related to Christmas in Caroline’s life but I thought this was well done and engaging.

This is not a book with a lofty style despite it being a version of a classic. It still reverberates with Camilla’s friendly, easy and fun style, which I loved.

This was a short book that packed quite the punch and carries an important message about personal development, relationships and the choices we make.

Another warming and lovely read from this talented author, who I would recommend to fans of Sophie Kinsella and Kristin Bailey.

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I really love this author’s style and have previously enjoyed My Husband’s Daughter by this author. The cover of this one is beautiful and one that will definitely stand out. To me, it gives off a sense of serenity, hope and promise. It definitely pulled me in.

Blurb:

Single mother Anna’s six-year-old daughter Libby is her whole world. Having escaped a marriage that was threatening to destroy her, Anna has managed to get their lives back on track. Looking at Libby’s sweet, heart-shaped face, Anna is filled with hope for the future. They have each other and nothing else matters.

But then Libby gets ill, with a rare disorder that means she needs a transplant from a relative if she’s going to survive. And when Anna discovers she herself isn’t a match, there’s only one person she can turn to.

So she picks up the phone, and dials a number she hoped she’d never have to call again. The man she once ran from. Her daughter’s father. She knows he’ll want to be part of their lives again and that the fear she felt for years will come flooding back. But deep down Anna knows what she has to do, what any mother would.

Because if there’s a chance to save your daughter’s life, wouldn’t you do whatever it takes?

An unforgettable, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting story from the bestselling author of My Husband’s Daughter, this novel is perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain and Jojo Moyes.

My thoughts:

This book has taken me on an unforgettable emotional journey and I have blubbed quite a few times. I expected this book to be emotional, of course, but I didn’t quite expect it to impact me quite as much as it did.

I guess that’s part of Emma’s talent as an excellent writer of domestic drama and emotionally charged fiction. There are two main storylines going on in the book, which are of course linked in the circumstances There’s Anna and Ryan’s fractured relationship, and the other is Libby’s deteriorating medical condition. As a woman who has been in an emotionally abusive relationship, I definitely could identify with Anna’s position in relation to Ryan. As a mum, I could definitely relate to her position in relation to Libby. I could not think of one single thing I would not do to save my child in that situation. My ex partner from the abusive relationship is currently in prison, but I’d happily support him being let out tomorrow if it meant saving my daughter’s life as that’s what being a mum is!

Therefore, this book is a beautiful and heart-breaking exploration of motherhood, parenthood, the breakdown of relationships, trust, fear and family. It is a book that packs quite a punch in terms of its impact considering it is only just over 300 pages long.

This is a story that will stay with me for a long time. It explores some really important issues and is steeped in such cleverly constructed realism. It is a reminder that, no matter your current position, there are others out there who are struggling, and you are not alone.

I would definitely recommend this book and author to fans of Jodi Picoult, Amanda Prowse, Sam Vickery and Kate Hewitt.

I have been following this series on and off for about 18 months now. I certainly haven’t read all 16 books in the series so far, with this being the 17th, and I may not have even read every one that has been released in the last 18 months. However, this won’t come as a surprise to regulars of this blog as I rarely read and review any series books. When I do step back into this series, I am filled with warmth and comfort as if visiting a childhood haunt with an old friend. I’m sure the most enriching expedience would be to read the series from start to finish, but I love the fact that Rosie’s style makes it easy to dip in and out. I was looking forward to catching up with the characters I’ve grown to know and love.

Blurb:

Wedding excitement is in the air! With their big day approaching, Fen has her heart set on a gorgeous, intimate celebration with not much fuss at all. But strong-minded mother-of-the-bride Marjery seems to have considerably grander plans. There’s also the small problem of a missing best man, and when Fen tasks Hudson Holmes and Ruby Watkiss with the job of tracking him down, their investigations unearth far more secrets than they bargained for. Will the Big Day go ahead in the light of such dramatic revelations? Can a wedding cake wish save the day? One thing’s for sure – this will definitely be a wedding to remember!

My thoughts:

My favourite thing about following this series has to be seeing not only the development of the characters and meeting them again, but seeing the development of Rosie’s writing style and how this slowly shifts.

Once again, this book is full of romance and warmth, but it also has an enjoyable mystery element and I was also hooked on this as well as the suspense related to the “wedding cake wish”. I’d never heard of this tradition before but I was definitely hopeful that Fen and Rob’s wish comes true and they have the perfect wedding day.

I also loved being reunited with Ruby and seeing how things are going with her as she is probably my current favourite character of the series.

Overall, another great installment of the series with a great mix of characters and fun, mystery and drama. I adore this series and am already looking forward to reading more of the series.

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I was drawn to this book by the title. Intriguing to say the least, it gives a sense of secrecy, danger and risk. I also absolutely love the cover of this book, especially the splash of red and all its connotations, and the stormy, rugged landscape pictured. This definitely builds an idea that this will be an atmospheric and turbulent read.

Blurb:

The brand-new psychological suspense novel from the author of After She’s Gone, soon to be a major motion picture starring Daisy Ridley.

‘With The HideoutCamilla Grebe solidifies her position at the very top tier of Scandinavian crime fiction‘ Anders de la Motte, author of Rites of Spring

After eighteen-year-old Samuel finds himself in the middle of a drug deal gone wrong, he is forced to leave home in a hurry. Heading south, he finds refuge in a sleepy coastal town, working as a live-in assistant to the son of a wealthy family.

When the body of a young man washes up in Stockholm’s southern archipelago, investigator Manfred Olsson is called in to work the case. With his two-year-old daughter in a coma, he is reluctant to leave her bedside – but once another body is discovered, his search for the killer intensifies.

As Samuel adjusts to life under the radar, he begins to feel safe, even with a gang out for blood and the police on his trail. But it isn’t long before he realises that his sanctuary may be home to a deadly secret.

My thoughts:

This is my first read by this author and I’ll be honest that I’d never heard of her until the cover and title hooked me into this book. However, a little background research clearly showed me that she is a prolific and popular writer of Swedish noir and crime fiction.

I was definitely hooked into the story and shocked from the very beginning. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, the descriptions are raw, and sometimes horrifying in their detail and realism. There are a couple of different strands to the story, in that you have the professional and personal life of investigator Manfred Olsson at the fore-front of this story. This, and the use of multiple perspectives, makes this a very well written and believable character driven story.

This is a twisty and gripping book, and Camilla also deals with some very emotive themes, including death, parenting, crime and religion. I was definitely eager to find out the outcome, though I can’t say I particularly took to Samuel as a character.

I have always been a fan of crime thrillers, police procedurals, and books that focus on a missing person’s case, and this book provides a good mix of all three, whilst the fact that it is set in Sweden, as well as some of the plot twists, give it an original and fresh feel. I would recommend this to crime fiction fans looking for something dark but different.

I love Jessica Redland’s books. I’m definitely going to make a big statement here and say she is my favourite author in this genre. When I sit down with her books, I feel like I am sitting down with an old friend to watch an old movie that you know will just be brilliant. Her books are modern, yet classic. Uplifting, yet emotional. Romantic, yet at times, heart-breaking. They have it all. There’s only thing I can think of that could possibly beat a Jessica Redland book – and that’s a Jessica Redland Christmas book, set in a chocolate shop! So, as you can probably tell, I had very high hopes and extreme excitement when I embarked on my reading of this book!

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Blurb:

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS MAGIC TO MAKE YOUR WISHES COME TRUE…

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and set up a chocolate shop.

Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee’s Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street… Now she just has to refurbish it in time for Christmas!

With a useless boyfriend and countless DIY disasters, Charlee doesn’t know if she’ll make it in time. With no ‘traditional’ family to support her, she feels lost in her new surroundings and the secrets of the past are weighing her down.

But the warmth and festive spirit of the Whitsborough Bay community will surprise her, and when plumber, Matt, comes to the rescue, it might be that all of Charlee’s dreams could come true this Christmas, and she could learn what family really means…

My thoughts:

Well, she’s done it again. An escapist, emotional and beautiful read with characters that jump off the page and quite a few that warm your heart and even one that managed to get me quite hot under the collar!

I have to admit having a bad feeling about Ricky from the beginning. He came across as selfish, rude, arrogant but even I was surprised to uncover how much of a snake he truly was…

Charlee, on the other hand, is a kind, hard-working and admirable character. I liked her from the beginning and built quite a connection with her throughout the book. Her closeness with her grandparents really struck a chord with me and made me quite emotional, and then her attitude to moving away I could really relate to. I laughed with her and cried with her and she is definitely a character that will stay with me.

Last but not least, Matt. He is dishy, practical, dependable, thoughtful and if Libby wasn’t going to appreciate him, and Charlee not going to nab him, then I want him for myself!

Whitsborough Bay is a perfect setting for this story and provides a wonderful backdrop to the surprises, twists and heartfelt moments in this book.

Once again, Jessica has created a perfectly pitched romance novel that I have got completely lost in and has got me dreaming of Christmas warmth and of course, chocolate! Another stunning read by my absolute fave.

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I absolutely love this author’s books and this will be the third time a book of hers has featured on this blog, since I started it almost a year and a half ago! There’s something creepy about her books that just manages to stay with you after reading, so I was really looking forward to picking up another one of her sensational books. I love the title of this one, implying family rifts, secrets and betrayal. This definitely seemed like it had all the ingredients for a brilliant domestic and psychological thriller.

Blurb:

My sister is missing. And the police think I’m to blame.

We haven’t always seen eye to eye, but I do love my sister Cece. She’s confident and free-spirited in a way I never am. And while she’s living her life to the full and posting it all over social media, I’m having early nights in my tiny New York apartment.

I didn’t mean to keep her a secret from my boyfriend, Bradley. But when he found out about her and I caught him scrolling through her pictures online, I knew I had to act before she ruined my life once again.

When the police come knocking at my door, I instantly regret wishing Cece would leave my life for good.

I didn’t want her to vanish forever, did I?

If you enjoy gripping psychological thrillers like The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife Between Us, you will love this totally addictive novel from a USA Today bestselling author.

My thoughts:

“Each person had their story, their past, their shame, and above all, their secrets. Secrets they kept tightly under wraps. I was no different. My secret owned me.”

Once again, this author’s book, its characters and settings, have got inside my head and made this book very difficult to put down. Sara and Bradley seem very different to each other, almost an opposites attract scenario. To begin with in their own way, ‘normal’ but the multiple narrative perspectives ensure that it becomes quite difficult to know who to trust. Is Sara in danger? Or is Bradley the one being played?

There are three distinct settings in the book too, all of which pull you in, and depending how you view them also seem quite normal. Firstly, Central Park, where Sara walks her beloved dog. Beautiful, vast, but also open to people from all walks of life, and surrounded by high buildings in a way that could feel quite oppressive.

Then you’ve Sara’s home. Simple, creative, cosy but in other ways it could be seen as chaotic, lonely, reflecting a little of what we see in Sara herself. Then Bradley’s pad is impressive and Sara is taken in by it. But it’s a little too perfect, clean and empty, so much so it almost feels eerie. And there’s some unexpected surprises inside too…

These characters and settings get inside your head, and it’s hard to get them out. I became quite viscerally pulled into the story and I became impatient to know the outcome, so I ended up devouring this one a little more quickly than I’d expected.

There is a huge twist which I didn’t see coming for a long time, but I knew with almost 20% left to go Arianne had to pull something else out of the bag to make this another five star read from her. Of course she did, and the ending was definitely unexpected and left me shocked and in some ways reeling. This is a book about the complex nature of families and the destructive nature of secrets. It is gripping, emotional and immersive. I highly recommend this book and author.

“That’s just the way it was the world over. Rich or poor, furious with one another or proud, you couldn’t escape family.”

I was drawn to this book as I’ve previously read The New Me and Never Say No by this author and thoroughly enjoyed both of them. Christmas romances are probably my favourite, so I was very excited to see this release coming up. I loved the fun cover which gives the feeling that things go awry, but can this romantic and happy Christmas be saved?!

Blurb:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love… dumped me.

Poppy loves Christmas and always goes all out to make this magical time of the year extra special for her boyfriend George. But George is strangely not in the Yuletide spirit this year. As Poppy wrestles him into her Christmas jumper built for two for a holiday snapshot, she finds out why.

He’s leaving her. With only twelve days to spend together until Christmas.

Poppy is heartbroken. George is the love of her life, and what would Christmas be without kisses under the mistletoe, his mum’s delicious homemade gingerbread or their super-competitive games of Pictionary?

She’s determined to win George back. So, anxious to prove to him she can be spontaneous, she signs up as a Christmas volunteer at the local community centre. What she doesn’t know is that there’s a festive surprise coming her way…

As Poppy throws herself into her new role – mulling vats of hot cider and hanging fairy lights off everything within reach – she discovers an inner strength she never knew she had. And there’s also Theo. Her new boss. Grumpy and opinionated, he’s everything she doesn’t want.

But as the snow starts to fall, she begins to notice other things about him – like his twinkling green eyes, how he makes her laugh, and how much he cares about the people he’s trying to help.

As the twelfth day approaches, Poppy might be about to discover that the most perfect Christmas might be the one that she didn’t plan at all…

Fans of One Day in December, Beth O’Leary and Mhairi McFarlane will be completely enchanted by this witty and warm festive story about friendship, love and finding yourself.

My thoughts:

Wow! This has definitely been my favourite Christmas read of the year so far and I’m not sure how any other book could beat it. Elizabeth Neep is able to, like lots of other authors in this genre, provide an excellent balance of comedy and light-heartedness with romance and drama.

The opening of the book is in some ways hilarious, but quickly takes a turn and becomes dramatic and tense. For me this really reflects, to some extent, the ups and downs we all feel during the stressful Christmas season. The opening really hooked me into the story but it also pulled me into the lives and circumstances of the characters, especially Poppy.

I really loved the character of Poppy. She is likeable, sympathetic and you can see that she is really struggling to find her place in the world. I really identified with her need for stability, family and acceptance. My favourite part of her story was definitely seeing her character develop. Not in the traditional sense of me being able to understand her better, but in the sense of being able to see her grow, mature and change. As the story develops, which actually follows a short but significant period in Poppy’s life, you really get to see her confidence grow and her ability to advocate for herself blossom. I was absolutely rooting for her so I was very happy to see this happen with her.

My favourite aspect of the book is definitely the fact that, if anything, the cover and blurb undersells this book. Yes it is wonderfully romantic, funny, and it warmed my heart so much I felt like I’d spent an evening in front of a cosy fire. It was also a book that was very difficult to put down, so I would describe it as an engrossing and escapist read.

However, additional to this, it is a slow and reflective enough to be quite thought-provoking, and this is what sets this book apart. It really encourages the reader to reflect on so many aspects of our lives. Is what we are comfortable with, what we feel like we’ve always known, and consider safe, always best for us? What importance, value or strength does community have in our modern world? How do the people we associate with reflect upon us, and even change us? These are just some of the things that this book got me thinking about.

To summarise, this has been a heart-warming, uplifting and satisfying read and this is definitely my favourite read by this author so far. Her books just get better and better! I would recommend this book and author to fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Maddie Please and Kim Nash. If I could award more than 5 stars, I would.