My Top Monthly Reads: December 2017

Well, first of all, this is my 100th post on my blog - woo! Secondly, who can believe that it's the last day of the year tomorrow? I for one am glad that this year is going to be over and cannot wait to bring in a (hopefully - fingers crossed) more positive, happier and healthier year.

Now that I've stopped being so morbid, I want to show you what my favourites of this month are. I've had a lot of time to read due to being off work for two weeks (yippee, you got to love the Christmas Holidays!) so hope you enjoy reading this post with some hot chocolate, all snuggled up on your sofa! 

The Pets at Primrose Cottage: New Beginnings

Sheila Norton

You can read my review here

Absolutely loved this part two novella. Was so interesting I couldn't put it down. And as I mentioned in my review, Sheila Norton is fast becoming my new favourite author!

Can't wait for part 3!

A Winter Flame

Milly Johnson

You can read my review here

I love Milly Johnson's novels anyway (that much isn't a secret) but this one was just so festive and lovely that I had to include it in my favourites of the month. I literally cannot wait to read her new one which is out in the New Year!

A review of that shall be coming so watch this space!

The Reading Group

Della Parker

You can read my review here

I loved this. I loved that we got to see about the whole of the reading groups lives and that each month is set around a different character. It also took you throughout the year which was another thing I enjoyed!

I'm glad I waited for the whole book to be released though!

Springtime at the Cider Kitchen

Fay Keenan

My review for this will be up on my blog on the 13th of January!

Another one that I read in December that I absolutely loved (duh, or it wouldn't be on this list otherwise!) but I found this novel to be so interesting.

I hadn't read the first one in the series (not that that mattered, it was easy to read as a standalone) but will definitely be going back to read the first one in the New Year.














What are your favourites of the month?

Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at The Christmas Fair by Heidi Swain

Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at The Christmas Fair

Heidi Swain

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK (K £0.99 / P £7.99)

Synopsis:

When Anna takes on the role of companion to the owner of Wynthorpe Hall, on the outskirts of Wynbridge, she has no idea that her life is set to change beyond all recognition.

A confirmed 'bah humbug' when it comes to Christmas, Anna is amazed to find herself quickly immersed in the eccentric household, and when youngest son Jamie unexpectedly arrives home it soon becomes obvious that her personal feelings are going all out to compromise her professional persona.

Jamie, struggling to come to terms with life back in the Fens, makes a pact with Anna - she has to teach him to fall back in love with Wynthorpe Hall, while he helps her fall back in love with Christmas. But will it all prove too much for Anna, or can the family of Wynthorpe Hall warm her heart once and for all...?

Join Anna for a festive journey festooned with sleigh rides and silver bells and help her discover her happy-ever-after.

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I absolutely adore Heidi Swain's novels. I've read every one and I love every one. I love that they're all set in the same place and that the characters all appear in every book but you could easily just read one and understand everything that goes on. This book was no different, it was a lovely heart-warming story and I loved every minute.

I'm not sure why but I thought that the story was about Anna and her son! Not Anna and the owner of Wynthorpe Halls'! But once I got that confusion out the way I really got into the story (that's my fault for not reading the blurb properly!). I absolutely love the cover. The deep blue of the sky, the snow and the Christmas lights all around and the huge Christmas tree looks lovely.

Of course, just like any other Heidi Swain novel, I loved it. I really did. I enjoyed all the characters, I loved Angus and Catherine, they seemed just so kind and friendly to Anna. And I was really hoping that Jamie and Anna would hit it off! I was dying for Anna to just give in to her feelings already! And, as always in Heidi's novels, I adored the storyline. It made me feel so festive and warm inside that I'm so glad I waited to read this closer to Christmas.

Along the way of the story, there are twists and unexpected turns and this kept me glued to the book! I couldn't wait to read what happened next at Wynthorpe Hall. Another thing I really enjoyed was when Anna would go into the town, I loved reading about the characters from Heidi's other books. There's just such a lovely community feel to the town and I really wish I could live somewhere like this!

If you haven't read any of Heidi's books before then I urge you to. You would love them! They are feel good and wonderful and I couldn't recommend them enough. I'm already pining for Heidi to release another one!

My Favourite Books of 2017

So, as most of my posts have been saying, it's nearly Christmas (Tomorrow in fact!) so Merry Christmas Eve!! How will you be spending Christmas this year? I'm going to be spending the next few days stuffing my face with sweets as well as other treats and doing absolutely nothing else - bliss!

Any-who, onto the post, I thought I'd share some of my favourites of the year (December Top Monthly Favourites coming soon), this was so hard to narrow down but in the end I managed to get it down to 7 (yup- really it's looking like a long post) so without further ado...

The Cotswolds Cookery Club

Alice Ross

You can read my review of this trio here, here and here

To Provence, With Love

T.A. Williams

You can read my review here

The Summer of Serendipity

Ali McNamara

You can read my review here

The Holiday Cruise

Victoria Cooke

You can read my review here

Christmas at Mistletoe Cove

Holly Martin

You can read my review here

The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters

Jaimie Admans

You can read my review here

The Vets at Hope Green

Sheila Norton

You can read my review here

So those are my favourites of 2017 - what were yours?

My January 2018 TBR Pile

Seeing as January is already just around the corner, I thought I'd just quickly share what I plan on reading in the first month of the New Year! Now of course this is all subject to change (all depends what new novels come on Netgalley really!) but I can't wait to read each and every one of these. 

Depending on how busy that month is depends on if I actually will get all these read but I'm hoping I'll be able to! There's nothing better than being all curled up in a cosy, warm bed on a cold and dreary January afternoon!

Dreaming of Florence

T. A. Williams

Amazon UK £1.99

Ottercombe Bay, Part One: Where There's a Will...

Bella Osbourne

Amazon UK £0.95

The Single Girl's Calendar

Erin Green

Amazon UK £3.47

A Good Heart is Hard to Find

Trisha Ashley

Amazon UK £4.99

The Little Cafe in Copenhagen

Julie Caplin

Amazon UK (K £2.99 / P £7.99)

The Little Wedding Island

Jaimie Admans

Amazon UK £2.99

The Perfectly Imperfect Woman

Milly Johnson

Amazon UK (K £8.99 / H £13.19)

Summer at Buttercup Beach

Holly Martin

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £8.99)

Love, Lies and Lemon Cake

Sue Watson

Amazon UK (K 1.99 / P £7.99)

New Arrivals on Lovelace Lane

Alice Ross

Amazon UK £0.99

The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness

Laura Kemp

Amazon UK (K £0.99 / P £7.99)

So those are what I plan to read in January, what are you going to read?

The Canal Boat Cafe Christmas: Starboard Home by Cressida McLaughlin

The Canal Boat Cafe Christmas: Starboard Home

Cressida McLaughlin

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK £0.99

Synopsis:

A Christmas special continuing the charming and heart-warming story of The Canal Boat Cafe, the runaway bestseller.

Summer and Mason take their upbeat and feel-good Canal Boat Cafe to London for Christmas, with unexpected results.

Starboard Home - Summer and Mason find themselves unexpectedly spending the entire Christmas Holiday in Little Venice when the canal freezes over. But their idyllic winter excursion is thrown into turmoil when an unexpected visitor appears on the scene. Are Summer and Mason facing the Big Freeze in more ways than one? Or will this be one Winter Warmer that they'll never forget?

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I honestly cannot tell you how excited I was when this was sent to my Kindle on release day. I've been waiting for part 2 ever since I finished part 1 (you can read my review here). I absolutely loved the full length novel and really enjoyed the part 1 in this mini Christmas series. I loved being back in the Canal Boat Cafe with Summer and her cute little dog Latte. This novella was literally like a warm, Christmassy hug. I loved it.

Following on from the cliffhanger left in the first novella, I was so excited to see what was going to happen next. It starts off where it left off and from the off I was intrigued and glued to my Kindle.  I just love the way Cressida describes everything festive in this novella, it's so lovely and Christmassy. So along this journey, we see Summer and Mason going out and having fun in the holidays with the rest of the rovers. They go to all new and different places close to Little Venice but the festive cheer is never far away in this story. I loved the part about the elves that came into the pub and started singing Christmas songs and making Summer get involved.

There are lots of little bits like what I mentioned above which just make the story so lovely. I loved reading about Summer's plans for Mason (if you've read the first one you'll know what I'm talking about!), and her and Claire's shopping trip sounded like fun too. But the bit I enjoyed reading the most, was the bit near the end (you will find out when you read it - I'm not giving that away!).

The part where Claire and Summer come back from London Zoo - something beautiful happens. The ending of this novella is just so magical and heartwarming, it got me all teary-eyed! I must admit that it was an emotional but absolutely beautiful ending and I am so sad that the Canal Boat Cafe books are over! I really hope that Cressida McLaughlin writes more about these characters because I really enjoy them! (but that's just me being selfish).

Overall, a beautifully written Christmas novel with a festive feeling on every page. I absolutely loved it and if I could give it more than five stars I would! If you haven't read a Cressida McLaughlin novel yet, then you're missing out!

One Wish in Manhattan by Mandy Baggot

One Wish in Manhattan

Mandy Baggot

Rating: 4.5 stars

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £10.99)

Synopsis:

Christmas: It's the most wonderful time of the year ... to fall in love

The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading to New York with one wish ... to start over.

With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for an adventure. But there's more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish - to find her real dad.

While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter's wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there's something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked.

Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might come true - could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever?

Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn't just about filling the minutes ... it's about making every moment count.

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If you normally read my blog, you'd see that I do love Mandy Baggot's novels (for evidence please see here, here, here and here) and when I got an Amazon Gift Card for my birthday, I knew straight away where I was going to spend it. On Mandy Baggot's other novels of course (as well as some others, but we'll discuss those later).

First of all, I just wanna say how beautiful all of Mandy's books are. The covers of them all are just so pretty and will make you want to pick it up. In this cover, I adore the ombre sky from pink to blue and the snow covered Central Park looks beautiful. The New York City skyline in the background gives you some info on the story and I love the colourful trees in the top corners. Simply magical.

Now, onto the book, and let me just say that before this book, I was in a bit of a reading rut. Every book I picked up, I just weren't feeling it. However, as soon as I started this one, I got my reading mojo back again! I love the way Mandy writes, I feel like I'm there right beside the character. I also love how we get to see the male characters point of view - it just gives the story a different edge that makes it so interesting.

In this particular Christmassy novel, we get to see the point of view from both Hayley and Oliver. Hayley is a single mum, who is looking in New York visiting her brother and is secretly looking for her daughters long-lost-father. Oliver, is the CEO of the family run huge company and is in a bit of a rut himself. He's scared about his health, not wanting to go in the same way as his father and brother, but can't stop living the high life of going on nights out and flirting with women.

The two come together when Hayley realises that her brother works for Oliver and they find that they keep bumping into one another. When in nightclub Vipers one night, Oliver and Hayley spend some time together and find themselves enjoying one anothers company. Their relationship develops from there and it really is a lovely Christmassy read (yes, Mandy Baggot writes beautiful Christmas novels!). I adored reading about New York at Christmas (it's always been a dream of mine to go there at Christmas time!) and it was nice to read about the snow falling in Central Park and all the festive food.

Overall, another beautiful Christmas novel by Mandy Baggot. If you haven't read any of her books yet, then I urge you to!

One Christmas in Paris by Mandy Baggot

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One Christmas in Paris

Mandy Baggot

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £8.99)

Synopsis:

How many croissants does it take to mend a broken heart?

Ava and her best friend Debs arrive in Paris just as the snow starts to fall. The Eiffel Tower glitters gold, but all Ava can think about is Leo, her no-good, cheating ex.

Debs is on a mission to make Ava smile again, and as they tour the Christmas markets, and eat their body weight in pain-au-chocolat, Ava remembers there's more to life than men... Until they cross paths with sizzling hot, oh-so-mysterious photographer Julien, with his French accent and hazelnut eyes that seem to see right inside her.

Ava can't ignore the intense chemistry between them, but she can't help but feel he's hiding something. Her fingers have been burned before and she can't forget it, especially when her ex, Leo, starts texting again. Can Ava really trust Julien - and what exactly is his secret?

Will Ava go home with a broken heart, or will she find true love in Paris?

Join Ava in Julien in the most romantic city in the world this Christmas, as they discover the importance of being true to themselves, and learn how to follow their hearts.

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I think it's no secret that I love Mandy Baggot's books. They're just such a lovely and lighthearted read. And this one was no different. It's such a festive and romantic storyline that I found myself, once again, really enjoying this novel.

Let me just say that I read this particular novel after reading Mandy's newest Christmas release and completely fell in love with it. It was just such a wonderful read that I knew I had to read others. Then, when my amazing boyfriend gave me an Amazon gift voucher for my birthday the other week, I quickly logged in and purchased two other Christmas novels by Mandy. This one, and another (which I shall be reviewing in good time so watch this space!).

This one was no different to any other Mandy Baggot novels I've read. I instantly fell in love with the main character and found Ava to be completely relatable (no one enjoys getting cheated on). (I also really love the name Ava!). I also loved Debs' character - she was funky and fun and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the things she said.

I also loved that this was set in Paris, I normally love summer books set in France, but this one was just so wonderfully festive. I loved the descriptions of the Christmas markets and the snow drifting slowly down, it just sounded magical. I really enjoyed reading about Ava and Julien's relationship too - it was nice to see their relationship blossoming and them both getting more and more comfortable in each others presence. The pair had both been through some horrible things and they're learning to grow and learn from those life changes.

Overall, a really delightful and heart warming Christmas novel. Another brilliant story by Mandy Baggot. You'd be mad not to love her books!

The Pets at Primrose Cottage: New Beginnings by Sheila Norton

The Pets at Primrose Cottage: New Beginnings

Sheila Norton

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK £0.99

Synopsis:

Part Two of a serialised novel - a charming and romantic story about living the simple life and the joy of animals.

All Emma wants is a quiet life in sleepy Crickleford, away from the prying eyes of the press who are obsessed with the life she used to lead.

She is enjoying her new vocation: the town's most in-demand pet-sitter. But her journalist friend and fellow animal lover Matt is desperate for a big story to make his career - such as Emma's true identity...

Emma doesn't want the spotlight, but it keeps finding her anyway. Can she keep her past a secret and live the life she's dreamed of?

Note: this is part two of a four-part serialised novel. The full length paperback will be available in April 2018.

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Sheila Norton is fast becoming my new favourite author. She just had a the style of writing that will keep you hooked on a story. It's not too serious, but not too humorous either. It has just the right amount of laugh out loud moments and the pace is well kept. I love the covers for this series as well, this one is particularly pretty, the flowers adding a bright burst of colour and it just looks so stunning!

I adore the storyline, I love the animals and I love Emma's character - I found her to be really easy to relate to and I love the location where the story is set. It sounds like a wonderful place to live and I wish places and people were really like that in real life! We're introduced a bit more to Matt Sorrentino in this novella, and I found myself really liking his character as well. He seemed funny and kind - he wasn't too pushy when Emma said she wanted to stay out of the newspaper.

I don't want to give too much away in this review as I know there are two more and I'm dying to find out what happens next! However, I will say that the storyline will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat. I find that Sheila's style of writing just keeps you hooked on every page and I love that. You zoom through the story, eager to find out what awaits at the end.

The characters all sound wonderful and I love the setting. It's definitely a 5 stars from me. I simply can't wait for the next novella in this series! If you're looking for a new series to get in to, this is it right here. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Christmas Bake Off by Abby Clements

The Christmas Bake Off

Abby Clements

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK: Currently free!

Synopsis:

With Christmas just around the corner, the residents of Skipley village are gearing up for the annual bake off, and tensions are high.

Winning means a lot to everyone involved - talented cake-shop owner Katie dreams of baking stardom, Rachel wants to prove she's more than a stay-at-home mum, and John hopes his culinary skills will impress the woman he loves.

But when the judges discover that some cakes have been tampered with, the villagers' loyalties are called into question - whose ambition would stretch to sabotage, and why?

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At first I wondered if I was going to review this or not, but then I remembered that every book is a book that needs reviewing, no matter how short - so here we are now. This novella is only around 25 pages long (yes, I did really mean it was short). But it was short and sweet.

The story follows a few of the villagers from Skipley, a place that sounds very delightful indeed, on their quest to win the village bake off. Rachel, mum of two and keen to prove she's more than just a mum, makes a beautiful gingerbread house, packed with delicious sweets. Katie, a professional baker in the village, decides to make something new and includes pistachios in her yule log. And John, a  manly man but soft inside, decides to try and show his baking skills to impress the one he loves.

All of the characters included in this short novella, all sound wonderfully charming and kind. Bea, Rachel's mother-in-law, I really liked because she seemed the most kind, especially when her granddaughter confesses her secret to her. Her part of the story was probably the most festive sounding, she makes her entry into the bake off whilst the carols are playing on the radio and the snow is drifting past the windows - it sounded just perfect.

The story, although short, was lovely and I really enjoyed it. Even from those few pages, you got a real sense of community from the villagers and it was lovely to read about. I wish this was a full blown novel! I've been trying to find which novel of Abby Clements this is related to but cannot seem to find it! I'm probably being really daft, but if you know the name of it (if there is one), please let me know!

I just really, really enjoyed this and wished it were longer. I loved the bake off, the bakes the villagers had made, and the descriptions of Christmas. It was all just so lovely and festive.

A Winter Flame by Milly Johnson

A Winter Flame

Milly Johnson

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK (K £4.99 / H £9.19 / P £6.35)

Synopsis:

Tis the season to be jolly...But can Eve find happiness through the frost?

Eve has never liked Christmas. So when her adored elderly aunt dies, the last thing she is expecting is to be left a theme park in her will. A theme park with a Christmas theme ...

And that's not the only catch. Her aunt's will stipulates that Eve must run the park with a mysterious partner, the exotically named Jacques Glace. Who is this Jacques, and why did Aunt Evelyn name him in her will?

But Eve isn't going to back down from a challenge. She's determined to make a success of Winterworld, no matter what. Can she overcome her dislike of Christmas, and can Jacques melt her frozen heart at last?

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Another glorious novel by Milly Johnson. The more I read her books, the more I love them. This particular one I loved because it had a Christmas theme (who wouldn't?) and the descriptions of some of the ice-cream Eve's cousin Violet was making made my mouth water.

I really, really loved this book and had heard nothing but good things about it, so I literally couldn;t wait to give it a read. From the start I really felt for Eve, she was holding on to Jonathan so much that she herself was wilting away. The candle burning in her home was her token of love for him and it was so sad to see her depend on it's burning.

When Eve inherited the Christmas theme park, that's where it all got so interesting and I couldn't put it down. I simply loved the descriptions about what was going to be included in the park and all about Violet's new ice-cream flavours. I was a bit dubious of Jacques at first but as the story went on I started loving his bubbly and very kind character.

All of the other characters in the book were all lovely as well, such as Thomas the Tank and Effin. As well as many others such as Aunt Susan, Evelyn and even lovely Holly the reindeer. Every part of this book was simply magical and I loved every minute of it - I was sad when it ended! I loved the Christmas wedding, the Christmas ice-cream flavours and I even loved the slightly dysfunctional train that runs around the park! The descriptions of the Christmas trees wrapped in lights with snowflakes dancing down from the sky just sounded so delightful - it'll definitely leave you feeling festive.

Overall, a lovely magical Christmassy novel. I adored the Christmas theme park and wish there was one that was just like this! 5 stars once again to the lovely Milly Johnson. You need to read this!

The Mistletoe Matchmaker by Felicity Hayes-McCoy

The Mistletoe Matchmaker

Felicity Hayes-McCoy

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK (K £0.99 / P £13.99)

Synopsis:

It's winter on the Finfarran peninsula and, as Cassie Fitzgerald, fresh from Toronto, is about to discover, there's more to Christmas on the west coast of Ireland than mistletoe and mince pies.

Enchanted by the small town where her dad was born, Cassie gets involved in a competition for the best local Winter Fest, and joins local librarian Hanna Casey's writing group in Lissbeg Library.

But the more she's drawn into the town's run-up to Christmas, the more questions Cassie encounters. Why does her sweet-tempered grandmother Pat find it so hard to express her feelings? What's going on between Pat and her miserly husband Ger? What happened in the past between the Fitzgeralds and Hanna's redoubtable mother Mary Casey? And what about Shay: handsome, funny, smart and intent on making Cassie's stay as exciting as he can. Is he the one for her?

As Christmas Eve approaches, Cassie discovers that love, family and friendship bring the real magic to the festive season - even if the locals of Lissbeg need an outsider to help them see it.

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When this popped up on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it. When I read the blurb, I knew even more that I had to read it! I absolutely loved the fact that this was set in Ireland, and upon reading it, loved that I recognised some of the places they were talking about! Sometimes, even with a book set in England, I struggle to know where exactly it's set because I haven't travelled my own country enough - but it was so lovely to read this book and know some of the places named (such as Carrick - all thanks to my lovely boyfriend).

One thing I must say is that I absolutely fell in love with the cover. The dark blue sky with snow drifting across it, the coloured lights draped in-between the cottages and the lone Christmas tree in the centre, they make the cover look so beautiful. I do believe that covers play a big part in your wanting to read a book, and this is definitely one that will constantly be picked up.

Now for the story, I hadn't read any other novels by Felicity Hayes-McCoy so wasn't sure what to expect - however, I did love her style of writing and really enjoyed reading it. One thing that I was slightly confused about was the amount of characters that were introduced in the beginning of the novel. I understand that this is the third novel in the series so I think I should have read the other two before this, just so that I understood and knew the characters a bit better in this one.

I must admit that the story wasn't confusing - that wasn't the case at all. I just wished I had read the first two beforehand so I had a better feel of the other characters. The story focuses a totally different person than the first two, but the story does flick back to the first two main characters and I think that's where I got a little confused. However, the more I got into the story, the better it became and I really did enjoy it. I found myself really relating to main character Cassie and I loved the character of Cassie's gran Pat. She was so lovely and caring that I just found the story so heart warming.

Overall, a really interesting novel set in the beautiful Ireland. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I reviewed honestly.

A Country Christmas by Veronica Henry

A Country Christmas

Veronica Henry

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK (K £5.99 / P £7.99)

Synopsis:

Homemade mulled vine, freshly baked mince pies and plenty of Christmas cheer...

It's the most wonderful time of the year, they say. And in the little Cotswolds village of Honeycote, the festive season looks set to bring people more than a few surprises under the tree.

As Lucy Liddiard plans the festive lunch for her nearest and dearest, she has little idea of the dramas about to play out before the crackers are pulled and the corks popped. She knows the family brewery, Honeycote Ales, has seen better days. She knows her husband, Mickey, is an incorrigible flirt. But does she realise how close both are edging towards disaster?

As the nights draw in, garlands deck the halls and the carols ring out, there are secrets and lies,  love and lust all waiting to be unwrapped.

Welcome to Honeycote, and a Christmas no one will ever forget.

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This is my first novel by Veronica Henry (even though I have quite a few others on my TBR pile), and I did find myself enjoying it. I'll admit that at the beginning of the book, it was slightly overwhelming as there were just so many characters we were getting introduced to. But once I got to know them all a bit better, I started getting into it more.

I was drawn to this book due to it's stunning Christmassy cover. I adore the wreath on the gate, the snow on the thatched cottage and the fields covering the background. I also love the hamper next to the gate and the mistletoe at the very top of the cover. All of it looks beautifully inviting and I couldn't wait to read it.

The story itself is full of drama and I was actually physically attached to my Kindle for the duration of the book, I was dying to know the outcome. It's set in what sounds like such a beautiful little village called Honeycote and it was somewhere I added to my list of places I wish I could go to! The story follows main characters Lucy and Mickey. Lucy has been kind enough to invite all her loved ones to a festive lunch and husband Mickey isn't the most faithful of husbands. The pair have no idea how much is going to go wrong and it makes for an excellent read.

Overall, I did find myself enjoying this novel, it just took a little while to get into but it was full of festive cheer and drama. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Reading Group by Della Parker

The Reading Group

Della Parker

Rating:

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £7.99)

Synopsis:

Meet the Reading Group: Women in the seaside village of Little Sanderton come together every month to share their love of reading. No topic is off-limits: books, family, love and loss . . . and don't forget the glass of red!

Grace, Anne-Marie, Kate, Jojo and Serena are as different as can be but each month they meet in Serena's beautiful cliff-top cottage to discuss a good book - and their lives, which are sometimes stranger than fiction! Between new loves and old flames, cheating husbands and wayward children, there's always a surprise around the corner...

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I absolutely love these type of books, I love novels that take us through months at a time, so we get different descriptions of the seasons: the festivities and mince pies at Christmas, the fates in Summer and the crisp leaves in Autumn. I love reading all about it, so it's not a surprise that this novel has been on my TBR pile for some time now!

The book itself, is actually very long, it is over 500 pages and I loved that it was so long as I didn't want the story to end. I will admit that I'm glad that I waited until the full book was out, as I've mentioned before with part series is that I'm so impatient I don't want to wait! It didn't feel this long though, it was such an easy and enjoyable read that I found myself flying through it.

I loved that with each month you read about a different friend, and their story and life. It was so interesting to get to know them personally and I loved how the story carried on and went through the months of the year. Each story was so fascinating that I just couldn't wait to read more. There was drama throughout and it was also so lovely to see the kind relationships the girls had with each other.

I've never read a novel by Della Parker before and I definitely wasn't disappointed when I finished this one - I was sad when it was over! I loved Jojo, she was so friendly and kind and Serena always seemed to be so loving and caring. Their friendships were lovely to read about. The descriptions of the location of the Reading Group were also beautiful - I'd love to live somewhere overlooking the sea!

Overall, a really enjoyable novel with lots of drama and a lovely story about friendship. I loved this story and I'm so glad I waited until the full one was out. I would recommend giving it a read if you haven't already.

My Top Monthly Reads: November 2017

Wow, how fast has November gone by? Before we know it it'll be Christmas Day, then New Years and then 2018! I don't like thinking that far ahead, I'm more of a 'take-each-day-as-it-comes' kind of person, but I do have lots of lovely festive plans made for December! So I'm really excited to see what this month brings - hopefully all happy and lovely things!

Now onto the books - Choosing my favourites of November has actually been tougher than I thought! November was a great month for books (especially Christmas ones) so it's been difficult deciding between them! However, eventually I did manage to whittle it down! So here are my favourite reads of November 2017...

The Canal Boat Cafe Christmas: Port Out

Cressida McLaughlin

You can read my review here.

This short novella was a short but sweet festive filled bundle of joy! The second one of this small series has been sent to my Kindle today (you can buy that here) and I literally am so excited to give the second one a read.

A Cosy Candlelit Christmas

Tilly Tennant

You can read my review here.

Another brilliantly festive novel. I absolutely adored the setting of this one - it was so Christmassy and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside - definitely recommend!

The Lemon Tree Cafe

Cathy Bramley

You can read my review here.

Not a Christmassy novel this time but another one that I absolutely adored and failed to put down. The descriptions of the food will leave your mouth watering and Cathy Bramley is an amazing writer in the sense that you feel as though you are right there with the characters.

Winter at The Cosy Cottage Cafe

Rachel Griffiths

You can read my review here.

A gorgeously uplifting and beautifully written novella. Will 100% leave you feeling Christmassy.

Christmas on Lovelace Lane

Alice Ross

You can read my review here.

Another lovely novella by the equally lovely Alice Ross. I love her style of writing so never can pass up an opportunity to read her novellas. This is another one that I absolutely loved.

The Vets at Hope Green

Sheila Norton

You can read my review here.

Another brilliant novel. One that I would 110% recommend. It's lovely and refreshing, I loved the location and the characters. You need to read this.

One Christmas Kiss in Notting Hill

Mandy Baggot

You can read my review here.

My last one for today and it's another wonderfully festive novel. I adored that it was set in London and I loved the characters. A fantastic Christmas novel.

See, I told you it was so difficult to whittle it down! I of course enjoyed the other novels I read throughout November but these certainly were my faves of the bunch!

What were you favourite reads in November?