Christmas in Chamonix by Sasha Wagstaff

Christmas in Chamonix

Sasha Wagstaff

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

When life goes downhill... head to the snow-capped Alps for roaring fires, apres-ski and festive romance.

Lily Jackson loves Christmas. She also loves her childhood friend Jamie, but when her plan to kick-start their romance goes drastically wrong and her job gets her down, Lily decides it's time to make changes. A job opens up in snowy Chamonix and egged on by her best friend Imogen, Lily decides to go for it.

As Lily settles in with the eccentric Devereux family at their gorgeous boutique ski hotel, she starts to confront her past. But when she meets handsome ski instructor Luc, who hates Christmas, Lily might have taken on more than she can handle.

Can Lily make a new life - with or without skis? And can she get Luc to see how truly romantic Christmas can be?

A heart-warming, feel-good romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Carole Matthews and Tilly Tennant.

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I'd never read a novel by this author before but after finishing it I wondered how I hadn't! I loved Sasha Wagstaff's style of writing, it was easy to read and really enjoyable. It was the cover that made me really want to read this novel, I love the dark colours, the snowy mountains, ski hotel and the beautiful fairy lights along the top.

The setting sounded idyllic and it really made me want to go skiing! I'd never been before but it sounded like fun and the hotel setting was really nice. As well as loving the location, I also loved the characters. Imogen was a lot of fun and I was intrigued by Luc and wondered more than once what had made him hate Christmas like he does, and once I had found out, I loved him even more! One character I really disliked at first was Elodie, she seemed so full of herself and nasty but I felt there was a bit of a back story there and was interested in finding out what was her story.

I loved reading about Lily overcoming her fear of skiing, the location, the characters - honestly this book was really joyful and I couldn't wait to read it again once I'd put it down! Although, the book synopsis mentions that Lily gets tries to get Luc to love Christmas, there is only a little bit in the book that does this so was a little disappointed - Christmas isn't the biggest theme in the novel, to be honest I would have liked a bit more about Christmas, but it was still a great storyline and happy, enjoyable ending.

Overall, this was a fun and lighthearted Christmas novel that I loved. I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author in the future as I loved her style of writing and the storyline. Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this novel via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Christmas Countdown by Donna Ashcroft

The Christmas Countdown

Donna Ashcroft

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

It's that time of year again, snowflakes are fluttering and the countdown to Christmas has begun! Holly Devine is returning to the only place that feels like home, hoping that some festive magic will help to turn her life around...

Twenty-seven-year-old Holly Devine has just had her heart well and truly broken. Hurt by the two people she loves the most, she flees to her eccentric Aunt Clara's cosy cottage to hide away over the winter season.

Twenty-seven-year-old Holly Devine has just had her heart well and truly broken. Hurt by the two people she loves the most, she flees to her eccentric Aunt Clara’s cosy cottage to hide away over the winter season. But kind, impulsive Aunt Clara has other ideas… She’s not about to see her favourite niece wallowing in sadness during the most wonderful time of the year. So, with the help of her close circle of friends and plenty of gin, she creates a handmade advent calendar for Holly.

Every day in December, Holly opens a new door and has a different task to complete. She soon finds herself asking out a complete stranger – gorgeous, cheeky pub landlord, Finn Jackson. But as handsome Finn gets involved in her festive challenges, Holly’s determination to avoid romance is put to the test. Still, Finn’s far too carefree and single for true love, isn’t he?

As Holly begins to embrace each day – a complete makeover, building the biggest snowman she’s ever seen, singing in a karaoke contest – Finn is there adding fun and laughter to every moment. Holly starts to realise that she can become the person she’s always wanted to be…

But a secret from Finn’s past threatens to turn Holly’s Christmas upside down and makes her question everything she has experienced in the last few weeks. Will Finn open up to Holly in time to show her how he really feels? And will she complete the advent calendar challenges and fall in love this Christmas?

It’s time to curl up for a delicious Christmas romance about daring to take chances, opening yourself up to love, and being true to who you really are. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Debbie Johnson and Debbie Macomber.

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What an amazingly written festive novel. One of my favourites so far I think! I've always enjoyed the style of Donna Ashcroft's writing and this one was no different - in fact, it was better! It hooked me from the first page and I couldn't wait to see where the story went. As well as the story, the cover caught my eye and made me want to read it straight away. I love the Christmassy colours, the mince pies, Christmas Cake and the snow in the background. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy just looking at it!

What I enjoyed about this was seeing the story from both main characters point of view. I enjoyed reading Holly's view on things and Finn's take on the events too. At first I was a bit unsure on Holly, just because of the comments she kept making to Finn despite the fact that she hardly knew him. But I warmed to her once I learned more about her story and her life and what she had been through... It made me understand her more. As well as Holly, I liked Finn's cheeky character. Although at some parts in the novel I did have a few tears! I felt for Finn far more than Holly in the end!

The location of this novel as well sounded delightful and all the Christmas events that take place made me feel so festive! I also loved the idea of the Christmas advent calendar with the daily tasks that Holly has to do. It's unique and I loved finding out what her next task was! As well as the main characters, we also get a few sideline stories about other secondary characters, such as Beth and Tom and Holly's Aunt Clara. I found these really interesting and it made it refreshing to read about a different sort of storyline for a little while!

Overall, Donna Ashcroft's latest book is a perfect feel-good festive novel which will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It has great characters and will teach you a thing or two about love and loss. Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this novel to read via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.

The Tanglewood Flower Shop by Lilac Mills

The Tanglewood Flower Shop

Lilac Mills

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK

Love can be a thorny business.

When Tanglewood flower shop owner Leanne enters Budding Stars - a floristry TV competition - she's shocked to make it through to the televised stages where the pressure grows to prove herself a success.

Luckily for Leanne, new Tanglewood park ranger, Rex, is a rose among the thorns as he provides support and friendship that could blossom into something more...

But Rex's ex-girlfriend appears with some shocking news, and between busy schedules and the occasional mountain rescue, Leanne can't see how romance could possibly bloom. And with a new job opportunity suddenly sprouting up, will she need to uproot her life and leave Tanglewood entirely?

This uplifting romance is perfect for fans of Daisy James, Holly Martin and Portia Macintosh.

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I've always enjoyed Lilac Mills' novels but I have to say I think this is my favourite one of hers so far. Firstly the cover is so pretty I couldn't resist reading it! I love the striped awning and the rows and rows of beautiful flowers outside Leanne's shop - as well as the cute little dog sitting outside too! It's a really summery and fun cover and I couldn't wait to delve in and get to read it.

What I liked about this novel was that one chapter would be on Leanne and the next would be on Rex. So we would constantly be reading about how each of the two main characters felt, and I really got to know and relate to each of the characters because of this. It made understanding their ways so much better and easier and as a result I think it made me enjoy the novel more. As well as this, I really liked the two characters. Leanne seemed really fun and down to earth, where as Rex seemed a little more shy but still just as lovely.

The storyline was refreshing, and something slightly different to what I usually read. It was interesting to read about the competition and I loved reading about Rex and Leanne's relationship. It was nice to see how they were blossoming and getting to know one another and I liked reading about what was going to happen between them. I felt really sorry for Rex with all what he was going through and I understood why he was the way he was with Leanne. But that didn't stop me from feeling sorry for Leanne too! It was clear to see that Leanne had fallen for Rex and him her.

Overall, a really lovely and lighthearted read that I throughly enjoyed. It was set in a lovely location, the characters all seemed really nice and caring and I loved the storyline. I would recommend you give not only this novel a go, but the authors other novels too! Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this novel to read via Netgalley, which I have reviewed honestly.