eBook Review: Skating at Somerset House by Nikki Moore

"There’s nothing Holly Winterlake loves more than Christmas and skating, so working as an Ice Marshall at London's Somerset House is a dream come true.

Noel Summerford hates the festive season and is a disaster on the ice, so taking his godson to Somerset House is his idea of the nightmare before Christmas!

Things are bound to get interesting when these two collide…

With a forty foot Christmas tree, an assortment of well meaning friends and relatives, and a mad chocolate Labrador, will this festive season be one to remember … or forget?"

Rating: 5/5

You can buy Skating at Somerset House as an eBook now!

I never used to be a fan of short stories, but since I have had my Kindle Paperwhite, I have been more willing to give them a go, and I am glad that I have! One such story I am glad that I read is the first in Nikki Moore's 'Love London' series, called Skating at Somerset House. As usual, publishers Harper Impulse have come up trumps with a stunning eBook cover that I am in love with, and the story inside promised to be just a delightful! At only 40 pages in print length, it is the perfect short story to sit down with of an evening and devour in one sitting... I did!

Holly Winterlake loves Christmas, and her passion for ice skating is still very much in force, so when she gets a job as an Ice Marshall at the ice rink at Somerset House she's delighted. Surrounded by Christmas cheer, trees and ice, she's a happy woman. Noel Summerford isn't a Christmas fan, and hates skating too, especially as he just can't seem to do it. When he takes his young godson skating and makes a bit of a fool of himself, he befriends Holly and the pair strike up a quick and easy friendship...

I don't want to say too much in this review, simply because the story is so short, and I can reveal far too much, especially as it's a book you will want to read for yourself to see how it develops! I loved the 2 main characters, they couldn't be more different (even their surnames show their loves of seasons!), but they somehow manage to get along. Holly's passion for her skating shows through straight away, you can really sense that she loves it, and we are left wondering why she gave it all up when she had such a promising career. Noel, too, is hiding a secret about his godson and why he won't let him skate with Holly, but again it's a bit of a mystery for much of the book.

The setting of Somerset House is brilliant for the book, it felt so Christmassy right from the start, and it's somewhere that I am going to put on my list of places to visit next Christmas without a doubt, I've never been before and feel I am missing out! Nikki's descriptions of the house, the ice rink, the trees and the people enjoying the whole experience are wonderful and it's easy to picture in your mind as you are reading. As I said, it is a short story but I was engrossed in it from start to finish, it was a joy to read about Holly and Noel as they begin their friendship, and the ending part of the book left me with a few giggles and a big smile on my face. I can't wait to read more in Nikki Moore's 'Love London' series, this was a fantastic start!

Book Review: Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake by Sue Watson

"For Tamsin Angel, Christmas is always the biggest and best… chic parties and a little showbiz sparkle are a must. This year though, things aren’t going quite as planned…

With bailiffs suddenly at the door and her husband nowhere to be found, it looks like Christmas just got downsized. Moving into her sister’s one-bedroom flat, she wonders whether things will ever be the same again.

After losing her husband on Christmas Eve, Sam Angel has rebuilt her life around her son Jacob and her new business – The White Angel Bakery. She’s also found herself a very handsome, loving boyfriend, but is struggling to let go of the past.

Thrown together with a sprinkle of Christmas magic, Sam and Tamsin might just learn a little more about each other – and themselves. But when disaster strikes at the bakery, will they be able to save the day in time for Christmas?"


Rating:

Festive Feeling Rating:

I recently read Sue Watson's eBook Love, Lies and Lemon Cake, and I absolutely loved that book. Therefore, when I was offered the chance to review her latest festive offering, I was over the moon and had seriously high expectations for the book. The cover is utterly gorgeous, a bright Christmas red and it just looked like a book I would thoroughly enjoy. Luckily for me, Sue certainly hasn't disappointed and this eBook was one of my favourite Christmas books I have read all year! It's one you should definitely download and read now, here's why!

Christmas hasn't always been a time of happiness for Sam Angel. She lost her husband a few years ago at Christmas, and has been left to bring their son up alone, as well as running The White Angel Bakery by herself. Although she's got a rather nice boyfriend now, Sam is frightened to take it further with him and push away the memory of her late husband. Her sister Tamsin Angel seems to have it all, and Christmas is the perfect time for her to flaunt that. But when everything she holds dear starts to crumble around her, and the idyllic Christmas she had created melts away, Tamsin has to turn to her sister in her hour of need, and to a rather different Christmas altogether...

I have to confess I really warmed to this book right from the beginning. I loved everything about it, but the best thing for me was just how festive it was right the way through! There wasn't just a bit of it that was Christmassy, the whole book was and I absolutely loved that about it. It begins with Tamsin's beautiful mansion, stuffed full of Christmas goodies and sounding rather perfect and posh, so you do have to feel very sorry for her when it all starts going horribly wrong, and there is nothing she can do about it. While Tamsin initially seems a bit of a snob and determined to be miserable once the bad things start happening to her and you find it quite hard to like her, she does thaw out a little bit as the book goes on, and you can see she really loves her sister. There was more to Tamsin than meets the eye however, and as she reveals things about her childhood, you can certainly understand why Tamsin is like she is, and I did feel very sorry for her.

Her sister is Sam, and she was my favourite character in the book. She is a single mum who has been widowed, and she still deeply misses her husband Steve who died in a tragic way at Christmas. It is very sad, but I enjoyed catching up with her and her son, seeing what a success they have made of their lives now, with the bakery going well, and the pair being happy together in their small one-bedroom flat. Sam has to show Tamsin that Christmas isn't all about money and what you have, but the people who you are with and the love for each other, but Tamsin wants to help her sister accept that love is coming for her again and it is okay to move on without forgetting her husband. There's a lot of emotion going on in this book, all wrapped up with the festive feeling and it was just wonderful.

The main stories in this book involve the sisters and their lives, and the bakery plays a large part in that too. Tamsin is determined to help her sister make the business more of a success than it already is, but Sam is feeling dubious that they can pull it off. As a Christmas party looms, it seems like Tamsin has really aimed too high, and I enjoyed reading about how they all worked together to try and pull it off, and the ups and downs that came along the way. There were a few supporting characters in the book, but for me it was really all about the Angel sisters. Sue Watson's writing is really enjoyable in this book, painting a very festive picture vividly in my mind as I was reading, and I was left with a lovely warm feeling as I finished the book. It's an emotional book, full of family, love and Christmas, and I enjoyed the entire thing. Sue Watson is fast becoming one of my must-read authors, and I can't wait to read more from her.

Book Review: A Christmas to Remember by Jenny Hale

"Everyone loves Christmas – don’t they?

Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is spent with other people’s families. Though it breaks her heart, her New Year’s resolution is to embark on a new career and fix her love life.

As Carrie starts her last job, she’s sure she’ll be going out on a high – the house is amazing , the kids are adorable, and she’s in charge of decorating the tree!

The only problem could be her boss… single-dad Adam Fletcher might be both handsome and successful, but he’s always working. Doesn’t he realise he’s missing out on precious moments with his son and daughter?

As Adam’s family arrive for Christmas including his sensitive sister, Sharon, and his fun-loving elderly Grandpa, Walter, Carrie realises that she might just have found the perfect allies in her quest to persuade Adam to loosen up. There’s still time for Carrie to make this the best Christmas ever… after all, Christmas is the time for miracles, isn’t it? Let the festivities begin!"

Rating:

Festive Feeling Rating:

You can buy A Christmas to Remember as an eBook or a paperback now.

The moment I finished this Christmas book, I knew it was going to be one of my favourite festive reads so far this year. Yes, the ending was obvious, but it was fabulously festive, the characters were all wonderful to read about and I just couldn't stop reading it - all the ingredients for me to make the perfect Christmas read. Jenny Hale's books are fast becoming some of my favourite books of the year and I always look forward to her latest book being sent to my Kindle, and this book is exactly why, and I think A Christmas to Remember is a must-read this festive season!

Carrie has got a job for the Christmas period as a nanny for Adam Fletcher's young twins, and she quickly settles into making herself at home, and dressing the house for the festive period. But it has quickly come to her attention that Adam doesn't have much of a relationship with his children - work always seems to come first. Carrie realises it's up to her to make Christmas special for the Fletcher children, and to try and get Adam to see the error of his ways with his children before it's too late. When the Fletcher family arrive en masse to celebrate Christmas, Carrie is hoping for a miracle and that Adam will finally spend time with his family... but is she expecting too much, and getting too attached far too soon?!

I love books featuring, especially festive books, because it makes the magic all the more special and a little bit more festive as well. This book certainly delivered on that front, and for me the young twins Olivia and David are the forefront of this story. We meet them as 2 unsure quiet, emotional and closed off children, unsure how to relate to their workaholic father. Carrie is determined to change that, and I admired that she wasn't afraid to tell Adam how it was, and forcing him to spend more time with his wonderful children, especially at this time of year. Carrie was absolutely superb as the lead character of the book, there was nothing dislikeable about this woman at all, and I was totally absorbed in her story. She's a wonderful nanny to Olivia and David, not afraid to throw herself into all sorts of activities, and I ended up with a big smile on my face when I read about the fun things that three of them got up to.

As well as being a fun Christmas story, there are more serious moments to the book as well. Adam's sister Sharon is clearly withdrawn from her brother, and we are left wondering why. As things become clear, you can understand her reaction, and it certainly brings home how much we should treasure our children and their childhoods, they are over far too quickly for my liking. The introduction of Adam's family opened up a new element to the book, and I was hoping Adam would make a change for them as well as his children, but we were left wondering what his motivation was as the book progressed and he doesn't seem to change.  There are some very touching moments in the book, a dash of romance too and it all pulled together wonderfully by the festive detail, from decorating the house for Christmas, to playing in the snow and baking Christmas goodies.

For me, this is Jenny Hale's best book so far. I loved it, and every evening when I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open I didn't want to put it down, wanting to find out what was happening next for Carrie, Adam and the Fletcher family. The characters in this book were excellent, Carrie in particular was my favourite, although I enjoyed the many different people and relationships in the book. I enjoyed trying to puzzle out Adam, although I kept wishing he would make more of an effort to have a relationship with his children. It's a lovely, warm-hearted festive story and I really enjoyed it, it made me smile and left me wanting a big family Christmas like the one in this book. Hale's writing is fabulous, her descriptions leave everything vivid in your mind, and you really get into Carrie's head as well. This is a brilliant read, and one I definitely recommend this Christmas season, I loved it.

Book Review: The French for Christmas by Fiona Valpy

"Evie used to LOVE Christmas, but this year she can’t wait for the tinsel and presents to be a distant memory.

When her best friends offer the use of their cottage in the beautiful French countryside, Evie jumps at the chance. With her soon-to-be-ex-husband, celebrity chef Will Brooke, plastered over the news with his latest ‘love interest’, leaving the country seems like the perfect plan.

Armed with her French grandmother’s tattered notebook of recipes, Evie is determined to ignore Christmas altogether and bake herself back to happiness.

And when Evie meets her next-door neighbour – the très gorgeous doctor Didier she finds a very willing taste-tester. But is it possible that he could be interested in more than just her Tarte Tatin?

With snow falling, a special Réveillon dinner and a little Christmas magic in the air, could Didier even be the one to thaw Evie’s heart? Or will a visit from the ghost of Christmas past change everything?"

Rating:

Festive Feeling Rating:

You can buy The French for Christmas as a paperback or an eBook now.

Fiona Valpy's latest eBook with Bookouture was one of the first festive reads I was sent to review this year. I have heard nothing but good things about it through the blogging community, so I was really excited to start reading it and find out if it would live up to my expectations. As I mentioned, this isn't Fiona's first book, but I haven't come across this author before so I didn't know what to expect. This is a beautiful festive story, set in rural France over the festive period and follows the character of Evie. Evie has had a tough time, with the loss of her baby and the end of her marriage, and wants to escape Christmas this year because it will be too painful. She flees to her friends holiday home in France, determined to live in solitude and peace for the season. But it seems like France has other plans for her...

I have to say that this book was a true delight from start to finish, and is most certainly going to be recommended by me if you want a heart-warming, cosy and beautifully festive story. Yes, there is sadness in there, but this is contrasted so well with everything else in the story, and you end up totally consumed by Evie and her story. Evie's story begins by telling us that she's getting over her miscarriage which occured last Christmas, hence the reason she wants to take off from the festive season. The emotion in this book is so well written, you feel Evie's pain as you are reading and feel so incredibly sympathetic to her, she's such a likeable character. Valpy tackles a very delicate subject with grace and sympathy, not softening Evie's pain at all, instead making it very much part of this character. As the book progressed and she comes out of herself a little more, I loved seeing a new side to her, she was just the perfect leading character for this book.

The other thing I loved about this was the setting of the book. It's set in a tiny little village in rural France, basically in the middle of nowhere. Evie loves its solitude, and you can see why. She's surrounded by just a few other houses, containing a rather dashing French Doctor Didier, and their neighbour Eliane and her husband. Didier is getting over his own heartache, and the way he and Evie help each other through their tough times is touching, and lovely to read. The fact it's a small cast of characters makes the book feel more intimate, you truly get to know these characters and be absorbed into their wonderful French world. The way Valpy describes the beautiful houses, the surroundings, even the little Robin who flutters around is so picturesque, you can't help but bring it to life in your mind. It sounds so perfect, you can understand why Evie chose to flee there in her time of need.

This was an utterly charming read, and certainly one of my favourites stories I have read this year. The fact it is set at Christmas and has the magic of Christmas sprinkled throughout it makes it all the more special and magical to read. I especially loved the descriptions of the food dotted throughout the book - you can really feel Evie's passion for cooking in these scenes, and the dishes are truly mouth-watering! I also loved the links to her French grandmother through her cooking, you can sense how close Evie was to her and how cooking helps her get through her grief. This is a heart-warming festive novel that delivers so much more than Christmas trees and presents. Wonderful characters, an emotive story and beautifully descriptive writing - you can't ask for me. A truly superb novel, I can't wait to read more from Fiona Valpy.