The Canal Boat Cafe Christmas by Cressida McLaughlin

The Canal Boat Cafe Christmas: Port Out

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.

Port Out - Summer is so in love with her boyfriend Mason and dreams of taking the next step with him, but is Mason ready too? When her friend Claire offers Summer a chance to come to London with her canal boat, Summer thinks this will give them a chance to find out, and they embark on a magical journey on the canal all the way to the scenic beauty of Little Venice. But will it be plain sailing all the way?

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Wow. I'm not even sure that words can describe how much I absolutely loved this follow-on novella! It had everything I love reading about at Christmas; gingerbread, decorations, hot chocolates, Christmas carols and so, so much more! The story follows on from Cressida's previous works: The Canal Boat Cafe, but I think this could easily be read as a standalone as Cressida covers everything that took place in the book beforehand.

First of all, I was so excited when I heard there was even going to be another story on Mason and Summer, and secondly, just take a look at that cover! It's sooo pretty! I absolutely adore the bold colours used, the poinsettia in the bottom left, the robin, the wreath, even the way the Canal Boat Cafe sign is hanging and the snow surrounding it is so pleasing to the eye. Just beautiful!

Now, onto the story itself, it's available to buy now (part one is out now- part two is out in December - which I cannot wait for!!) and I would 100% urge you to give it a read. It's hard to put down, but so easy to read. With a festive feel throughout the novella. The cakes and macarons that they bake just sound delicious, and the hot chocolate will have your mouth watering.

The story follows Summer and boyfriend Mason as they embark on a journey to Little Venice in London to take part in a Canal Boat Christmas Fair (doesn't that just sound so exciting!?). This book actually made me really, really want to visit Little Venice and I was soon looking up how to get there and was telling my boyfriend that we're definitely going sometime soon! Anywho, I loved the whole novella. The parts before the Christmas Fair, the travelling to Little Venice, and of course the twist at the end of the book! Which I didn't see coming at all! But I'm so eager to read the next one to find out what happens now!

Overall, a fantastically festive Christmas novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. If I could give this more than 5 stars I would. I cannot wait for the next one!! Cressida McLaughlin does it again!

A Cosy Candlelit Christmas by Tilly Tennant

A Cosy Candlelit Christmas

Tilly Tennant

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £7.99)

Synopsis:

All singleton Isla wants for Christmas is to be left in peace, but a surprise trip to the Alps means there's a chance for romance in every snowflake that falls...

It's the week before Christmas and Isla McCoy has just received an unexpected gift: a letter announcing she is due a life-changing inheritance, but only if she's willing to make amends with the father who abandoned her.

She has absolutely no intention of forgiving him, but who could resist an all-expenses-paid trip to the French resort of St Martin-de-Belleville?

There she meets smooth-talking Justin and nerdy glaciologist Sebastian; two very different men, with two very different agendas. Torn between her head and her heart, Isla finds herself utterly lost in a winter wonderland of her own feelings.

Surrounded by twinkling candles and roaring log-fires, Isla's resolve finally begins to melt. But will she learn how to reconnect, not only with a whole new family, but with herself and her heart?

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What a beautiful and absolutely stunning cover this book has. This straight away made me want to read it - before I'd even read the blurb! I LOVE the background of snowy mountains, the candles, the fairy lights, snow, Christmas pudding and the beautiful wreath in the centre. All together it makes for probably the most stunning Christmas cover I've ever seen. Everything looks so cosy I wish I was there.

Now onto the story itself, I really enjoyed the first one in the series and wasn't sure how the second was going to top it - but let me tell you - it certainly did! I loved this one even more than the second - if that's possible! The whole story had such a feel-good vibe to it that it was hard to put down. Every spare moment I had I spent reading this book and as a result I was so sad when it ended.

The story follows Isla, who after hearing from a solicitor, has flown all the way to France to meet her father for the first time in over 20 years. At first, Isla thinks that her dad has an ulterior motive for her going over there - but as the story progresses you realise that it isn't her dad who's up to something after all...

The story is so intriguing and I simply fell in love with the setting. It's described beautifully and I could easily imagine the chocolate box perfect village with the snow falling and Christmas lights twinkling. It all made for an absolute perfect Christmassy read. I also fell in love with certain characters - Sebastian was one that I adored and I found him to be so timid and sweet towards Isla. Another character I loved was hotel owner Dahlia - she was also someone who didn't have a bad bone in her body and I felt like I was being made welcome as a guest in her hotel too!

This is 100% my favourite of Tilly Tennant's novels so far. You instantly get drawn into the story and you don't want to let it go. Isla was easy to relate to and I found her really brave - going all that way on her own. The story was easy to follow, the characters were all lovely and I couldn't put it down. It's heart-warming and will leave you with that warm fuzzy feeling. A beautiful novel! If I could give this more than 5 stars then I would.

Overall, a brilliant story that is a perfect way to spend a rainy Sunday. And perfect to read in the buildup to Christmas. Thank you so much to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

No-One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom

No-One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day

Tracy Bloom

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK (K £1.99 / P £7.99)

Synopsis:

Don't you always plan the perfect Christmas?

Don't you always think it will be the best one ever?

And doesn't something always come along and screw it up?

Katy's been stuck in the office away from her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Buble Christmas album, whatever it takes.

There's only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. But Katy's isn't so sure she's ready yet...

Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy's mum's 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails... Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day?

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I've never read a book by Tracy Bloom before but when I heard the title of this book, I knew it was going to be laugh-out-loud funny - and I wasn't wrong. The book starts with Katy coming home from work and finding a giant inflatable Reindeer in her front garden. Katy believes less is more but husband Ben has other ideas. And it's not even December yet! Katy and Ben have just moved into a house with a garden and both are excited about this prospect so Ben decided to decorate early.

As well as Ben decorating early, Katy has just learned that her mum has left her dad for a new toy boy boyfriend and they'll both be coming over for Christmas Day! Katy and Ben feel that Christmas is already ruined but are both determined to make a good day of it for the sake of their young daughter.

It's obvious, even at the start of the book, that despite the big age difference Katy and Ben are still so in love. There's a bit of drama involving Katy's first pregnancy so Ben is eager to enjoy the full pregnancy experience. However, Katy has different ideas. The pair bicker and there's quite a bit of drama in the build up to the big day and on Christmas Day itself. This makes it brilliant reading, and I couldn't put it down.

As well as the drama, there was so much humour! And I loved every minute of it. I love a book that makes you laugh out loud, and this book does just that. The pair go through their troubles together, and it was so nice reading them get through it. Although the book isn't overly Christmassy, I loved the Christmas input and found myself really enjoying it.

Overall, a really nice and lighthearted read. I must now go back and read the other two in this series! Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Cover Reveal: Prosecco Christmas by Sylvia Ashby

Processco Christmas

Sylvia Ashby

Amazon UK

Synopsis:

Family is where life begins.

And what better time to spend with your family than Christmas week?

Ashley and Giacomo go to Upper Swainswick, a postcard village ten minutes' drive from Bath, to stay with Ashley's mum and step-dad. It's their last visit before the arrival of their first child. But babies have a habit of being unpredictable.

So when Ashley goes into labour on Christmas Eve, three weeks ahead of schedule, it takes everyone by surprise.

She's not ready! Her perfect Birth Plan is packed away in her hospital bag two hundred miles away, she has no going home outfit, and she has a live event planned on New Year's Eve for her YouTube channel, The Sinking Chef. People have been signing up for it for weeks. She can't possibly disappoint them on the last day of the year. What is she to do?

The tinsel gets even more tangled when Giacomo's parents decide to fly from Italy to meet their first grandchild. Hotels are fully booked, so everyone has to stay under the same roof. Would eleven people in the house, not counting the baby, turn out to be simply too much for Ashley?

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What an interesting and lively sounding Christmas novel by Sylvia Ashby! This is the perfect sounding book to curl up with, with a hot chocolate to hand and the Christmas Carols playing along in the background.

www.sylvia-ashby.com

Twitter / Facebook / Amazon

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And finallyyyyy ....

The beautiful cover!!

I adore the use of the kitchen utensils in the shape of the Christmas tree - it really gives you an idea as to what this novel is all about.

I love the colours, all in shades of Christmas and the white snowflakes around the edge of the cover.

So pretty and Christmassy!

The Lemon Tree Cafe by Cathy Bramley

The Lemon Tree Cafe

Cathy Bramley

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon UK (K £3.99 / P £3.99)

Synopsis:

When Rosie Featherstone finds herself unexpectedly jobless, the offer to help her beloved Italian grandmother out at the Lemon Tree Cafe - a little slice of Italy nestled in the rolling hills of Derbyshire - feels like the perfect way to keep busy.

Surrounded by the rich scent of espresso, delicious biscotti and juicy village gossip, Rosie soon finds herself falling for her new way of life. But she is haunted by a terrible secret, one that even the appearance of a handsome new face can't quite help her move on from.

Then disaster looms and the cafe's fortunes are threatened . . . and Rosie discovers that her nonna has been hiding a dark past of her own. With surprises, betrayal and more than one secret brewing, can she find a way to save the Lemon Tree Cafe and help both herself and Nonna achieve the happy endings they deserve?

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Another fantastic novel by Cathy Bramley, and one that I simply could not put down. I found that whenever I had a spare moment that I was running to grab this book and read more about what is going on in Rosie and her nonna's lives.

First of all, I just want to point out that you are never disappointed with a Cathy Bramley cover. This one is beautiful, the colours, the cakes, everything about it is just so beautiful and draws you in. I love the use of the yellow striped awning and of course the lemon trees either side of the cafe. Even the other little shops on either side look so cute! I love it.

I'm a huge Cathy Bramley fan, and this novel did not disappoint. At first I did wonder where the story was going, because the blurb didn't give much away but I think that just made it so much more interesting. I was dying to read about what was happening. I was drawn to this story! I'm so glad I waited until the full story was released though. I'm no good at waiting around for four separate releases! This way, I had the next part of the story straight away and I didn't have to wait! Of course, I can understand why it's released in four parts - this story definitely keeps the reader wanting to find out more!

So the story follows main character Rosie, after she walks out of her sexist job and returns home to the Lemon Tree Cafe. This is run by her Italian grandmother and after feeling a bit worried about how her grandmother is coping now that she's 75, Rosie decides to stay and work at the cafe for a little while, as a way of secretly helping out when her nonna isn't looking. However, Rosie soon finds that she loves working in the cafe and isn't very excited at the prospect of a new office based job. Rosie gets offered a job in Manchester, but after she meets single dad Gabe, she soon starts debating whether to take the offer as the pair get closer...

Along the way we learn so, so much about Rosie and her family. Rosie is hiding a terribly upsetting secret from everyone, and soon decides that it's time to come clean and let those closest to her know what happened to her all those years ago... However, Rosie isn't the only one hiding a secret from the family. We learn that her nonna is also keeping one, and if possible - an even bigger one! Queue the drama, the intensity! It's unbelievably good writing and I loved every moment of it.

Now this review is going on quite a bit and I don't want to spoil this story for you - so go and read it! You won't regret it. If I could give this more than 5 stars then I definitely would!

My Top Monthly Reads: October 2017

Wow, is anyone else in shock that it's November tomorrow or is that just me? I have quite an exciting few months coming up, including my birthday and a few other bits & pieces and of course - CHRISTMAS! Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. I just love it. I also love that I'm reading Christmas novels now!

I've mentioned it before on my Twitter but signing up to Netgalley was probably one of the best things I've done and I really don't regret it! Getting to read some of my favourite books is amazing and creating a blog to work beside that has been exciting as well. So, I thought I'd mention a few books that I really enjoyed this month so without further ado...

Christmas at Mistletoe Cove

Holly Martin

Rating: 5 stars

Review here

This book is absolutely stunningly written. I fell in love with the story completely and it's so incredibly romantic!

I loved everything about it and I want to re-read it again before Christmas!

The Beachside Christmas

Karen Clarke

Rating: 5 stars

Review here

This was a really lighthearted and enjoyable book that it had to be included on my Top Monthly Reads! It was so heartwarming and had a lot of humour so I found myself easily getting through the pages.

A Cosy Candlelit Christmas

Tilly Tennant

Rating: 5 stars

The review isn't yet up on my blog (shall be up in November!)

This is by far my favourite of Tilly Tennant's novels - it was so, so enjoyable and I whizzed through it. Would definitely recommend!!

Christmas at Conwenna Cove

Darcie Boleyn

Rating: 5 stars

Review here

I was part of the blog tour for this book, and I enjoyed every minute! I read the book in about a day so that's how much I enjoyed it - and I'm normally a slow reader!!

And that's it for my top monthly reads for October! What have you enjoyed reading this month?

Christmas at the Dancing Duck by Daisy James

Christmas at the Dancing Duck

Daisy James

Rating: 4 stars

Amazon UK £2.99

Synopsis:

A wonderfully festive romantic read to curl up with this Christmas.

The most wonderful time of the year!

Ever since tragedy struck a few years ago, television presenter Kirstie Harrison has hated Christmas - but she didn't intend to tell the whole country live on air! She needs to lie low for a few weeks, so she's finally coming home for the holidays, determined that this Christmas will be different...

Staying at the family pub, The Dancing Duck, means it's impossible not to get caught up in the little village of Cranbury's festive traditions. And it's equally impossible to avoid her ex, Josh Turner! Kirstie is torn between making this the best Christmas yet and knowing that she can't stay forever.

Maybe it's time to make a holiday wish of her own...?

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This was a really lighthearted and easy Christmas read - just the type I love! Kirstie Harrison is live on her show Kirstie's Kitchen and accidentally lets the whole nation know that she hates Christmas treats! Of course, people are not happy and it soon ends up all over the internet. So Kirstie decides to lay low for a few weeks and spends Christmas at her family pub The Dancing Duck.

Having to run the pub whilst sister Olivia has to rush to Ireland isn't the only problem, she also has to work with ex-boyfriend Josh Turner and things are still quite frosty between them. Over the course of the two weeks, we get to learn more about the running of the pub and also the Christmas events that are being held there. As well as this, I could see Kirstie changing over her time at the pub, she becomes more relaxed and finds herself loving being back home in the village of Cranbury.

One thing I absolutely adored about this was the Christmas events that the pub held, I loved the baking event and the descriptions of the gingerbread men, the mince pies and puddings was making my mouth water and I suddenly had the urge to go and make some myself! There was also the more crafty event, where the villagers was decorating glass jars and a manner of other objects - these really made me feel like I was there as part of that village and enjoying the events with them.

One character I didn't like was Miles (who was buying the pub) and I disliked when him and Kirstie went out together, I found him slimy and secretive (which of course, you are meant to find him this way I suppose!) and I was so pleased with how things worked out in the end. I must admit that I was even a little disappointed with Kirstie and even debating her going out with him!

This book is just full of Christmas cheer and will certainly leave you feeling festive and all warm inside at the ending. It's full of descriptions about Christmas food that will leave your mouth watering and it will make you wish you lived in a village like Cranbury!

Overall, another really enjoyable novel by Daisy James. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.