Tag: fiction

Categories
Uncategorized

Blog Tour and giveaway for: Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium

ABOUT THE BOOK

Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium
When Mabel Clutterbuck opens a Christmas shop in sleepy Merrycombe Bay, she has no idea how much her little emporium is about to change the hearts and minds of the people who live there.
Mabel Clutterbuck reluctantly returns to the seaside town she grew up in to be closer to her ailing mother. However, the old woman’s fading memories keep confusing Mabel with her sister Clara – the sister who sacrificed everything to care for their mother before recently disappearing without trace.
Determined to breathe new life into the old shop Clara used for her crafting endeavours, Mabel transforms it into Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium, a magical haven filled with vintage decorations, festive treasures, and a little bit of wonder.
The true magic, however, lies in Mabel’s Lucky Dip Gift Boxes. Carefully chosen for the hidden heartaches of the customers who buy them, each one brings comfort, hope, and unexpected joy. Not everyone in Merrycombe Bay is convinced, though, especially the formidable ladies of the local WI!
As Christmas approaches, an unexpected romantic encounter gives Mabel a glimpse of a future she never thought possible. And while she helps others find happiness, she begins to heal the parts of herself she thought would remain broken.
But beneath the sparkle of fairy lights and festive cheer, old wounds refuse to stay buried. Why did Clara leave Merrycombe Bay? And if she returns, will Mabel lose everything she’s finally found – including the future she never thought she deserved.
Heartwarming, uplifting and sprinkled with Christmas magic, Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium is a story of family secrets, second chances, unexpected romance, and the power of kindness.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.eu/d/0h1XusUq

MY THOUGHTS

If I didn’t already know and love the author’s books, I still would have been drawn to it because of the name.
Clutterbuck’s, I love it and couldn’t wait to get started on it.
This book is excellent and it captivated me as I read it.
Two sisters, twins Mabel and Clara are estranged and haven’t seen each other in years. So close as youngsters they knew what the other was thinking before they even said it.
Clara stays in Merrycombe Bay where they grew up all this time taking care of their mother who is now in a care home.
Mabel left years ago after a tragic night and what her mind tells her has happened.
When Mabel is summoned back to Merrycombe Bay by her mother’s caretaker she finds out her sister, Clara has disappeared. Sadly visiting mother with her fading memory, she confuses Mabel for Clara all the time.
Mabel is mad because she hasn’t wanted to come back and things still feel a mess and up in the air. She’s done with men, her sister is nowhere to be found, her childhood home is for sale and she’s just not really sure where she’s going in life at the moment.
As she is accessing her childhood home, she sees her sister had at one point had a craft shop there and she decides to turn this into, Mrs. Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium.
Mabel’s thing is vintage items of all sorts and as she opens her Christmas shop with vintage Christmas items and decorations it does fabulously well.
Each visitor takes home a Lucky Dip Gift Boxes. These items are specifically chosen for each individual customer, and they bring joy and wonder to them.
A very festive, feel-good book that I read quickly.
Will the sisters meet again and unravel secrets that have been kept for many years?
Such an uplifting story I loved how it ended, sprinkled within this book’s pages is hope, joy, laughter and Christmas magic. A sure winner that you’re really going to enjoy reading.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio
Nicola May is a bestselling author renowned for her heartwarming and humorous romantic comedies. With twenty-three books to her name, her work has captured readers’ hearts around the world, has been translated into fifteen languages and consistently ranks in the top 100 of Amazon’s Kindle bestseller charts. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cream teas in her beloved Devon, hikes through nature, and occasionally places a bet on the horses.

Social Media Links –
w: www.nicolamay.com
i: author_nicola
fb: Nicola May Romance Author | Facebook

Giveaway to Win a signed Copy of Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Win a signed Copy of Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium (Open to UK Only)

OR if you don’t like html or are on WordPress.
https://gleam.io/FAroh/win-a-signed-copy-of-mrs-clutterbucks-christmas-emporium-open-to-uk-only

Thank you for stopping in.

Categories
Uncategorized

Blog Tour For: Holly Dates at the Christmas Cottage

Holly Dates at the Christmas Cottage

An unexpected bid for something special this Christmas

Perpetually single events manager Tiffany Barlow is used to being in control. So, when she agrees to take part in the Holly Dates Auction at Thistle Lodge, it’s with a very specific goal in mind: to catch a respectable date for a high-profile event at a nearby castle. What she doesn’t expect is a last-minute twist…

Reserved English teacher Isaac Emery is looking forward to a peaceful, cosy winter at his grandpa’s Christmas Cottage, pretending he’s perfectly content with his books for company. When he accidentally wins a Holly Date experience at a festive fundraiser, he finds himself committed to a date with Tiffany – someone way out of his league.

As the glittering winter ball at the castle approaches, Tiffany is torn between what she’s been brought up to desire and an unexpected attraction to Isaac.

With a little seasonal nudge from his grandpa, Isaac might risk stepping away from the safety of his solitary world, giving both himself and Tiffany a chance to unwrap true love this Christmas.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/hollydates

MY THOUGHTS

Holly Dates at the Christmas Cottage is such a fun and lovely Christmas book continuing the series in a delightful way.
Can an outgoing and bubbly in control events planner and a shy and awkward teacher actually have anything in common and become a match made in Christmas heaven?
With events planner’s Tiffany’s family being friends with the royalty living in a castle there comes a certain expectation her mother puts on her, find a date to impress at the royal ball.
This uplifting Christmas romance had me laughing at unexpected parts and being empathetic during other parts.
An unexpected win at a date auction brings Tiffany and teacher Issac together where he feels like she’s way out of his league and he’s just bumbling along.
The date brings; laughter and a better-than-expected time together.
Issac’s grandfather’s Christmas Cottage sounds so charming and beautifully decorated. It would bring joy to anyone who sees it.
Once he got used to being with Tiffany, Holly Dates at the Christmas Cottage I loved seeing how things were progressing with Tiffany and Issac despite the opposition from her family.
I’m a sucker for friendly older folks in books and Grandpa was a delightful character, charming and clever.
Loved meeting the characters in this book and I’m really looking forward to the start of the new series by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio –

Margaret Amatt is a bestselling Scottish author, professional daydreamer, and certified chocolate addict. She’s been making up stories for as long as she can remember – some of them even made it onto paper (and, tragically, onto floppy disks that no computer can read anymore). After two decades of writing in secret, she finally unleashed her first novel on the world in 2021, kicking off a ten-book series set on the stunning Isle of Mull.

But why stop there? She’s also the creator of The Glenbriar Series, where romance, small-town drama, and a pinch of spice keep readers coming back for more. This series is still going strong, with more books planned, including a spin-off series in 2027 – The Glenbriar Castle Series.

Margaret also has two books out in the Love on the Edge – Barra series, set in the Outer Hebrides.

Margaret has spent her whole life in Scotland’s breath-taking Highland Perthshire, despite her entire extended family coming from the Glasgow area. Her books are romantic and emotional, sweet and funny, and each one can be read as a standalone, but long-time readers know the joy of familiar faces popping up, adding to the chaos.

So, if you love relatable characters, sizzling chemistry, and plenty of banter, you’re in the right place – just don’t blame Margaret when you stay up way too late reading just one more chapter.

Social Media Links –

https://www.margaretamatt.com/subscribe

https://www.facebook.com/MargaretAmattAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/margaret_amatt_author

https://ko-fi.com/margaretamattauthor/shop

Categories
Uncategorized

Snowflakes over Micklewick Bay Blog Tour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Snowflakes over Micklewick Bay
A wintry treat brimming with snowflakes, secrets and second chances!
When her beloved Aunt Colleen passes away, settling her affairs means doing the one thing Hannah Merryweather has spent years avoiding: returning to Micklewick Bay, the seaside town she fled years ago and has never quite found the courage to face again.
Coming home means facing the past too. Polly, her stepmother, and Darryl, her stepbrother, still loom large over the life she once knew, and the home she lost is never far from her thoughts.
Then, on her very first day back, she nearly collides with the one man she never expected to see again: Lachie, the kilted, green-eyed Scotsman who stole her heart last spring. His unexpected arrival in Micklewick Bay is the last complication Hannah needs – especially as feelings she thought she’d locked away start to resurface.
As Hannah slowly uncovers just how far her aunt’s plans for her future stretch – including one life-changing surprise waiting at the end of the pier – can she find the courage to claim the life, and the love, Auntie Colleen always believed she deserved?
A beautifully uplifting story of hope and second chances, set in the snow-globe charm of Micklewick Bay.
Perfect for readers who love:
• Cosy seaside fiction
• Slow-burn romance
• Stories about fresh starts
• Female friendship and found family
• Wintry settings

MY THOUGHTS

I am sorry to see the Micklewick Bay series ending. I’ve read them all and enjoyed meeting the new characters as they were introduced.
I enjoyed the series so much and it was so exciting to see Hannah returning to Micklewick Bay after all the time away she can’t avoid it she must put her Aunt’s affairs in order since she has passed away.
She had a very good reason for avoiding Micklewick Bay for all this time and I was so happy to see all the lassies come to her rescue as former family members confront her as she faces the past. I was pleased to see she had the support she needed as this was resolved.
I also enjoyed Lachie’s character, a Scotsmen whom Hannah met some months before and now there’s a possibility of a romance.
Just as the book is getting close to the ending there is such a lovely surprise that so many people are supportive of and help her get ready and I was so pleased how it turned out.
I am looking forward to the newest series the author is working on now and reading it soon.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link

https://geni.us/1361-al-aut-am

Author Bio –

Eliza J Scott lives in North Yorkshire with her family and has wanted to be a writer as far back as she can remember. She is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heartwarming stories based on romance and friendship with a generous dollop of community spirit and a hint of humour.

When she’s not writing, Eliza can usually be found with her nose in a book or working in her garden doing a spot of plot wrangling (of the writing variety), and battling against the weeds. The weeds, unfortunately, are currently winning but Eliza is undeterred. Roses are amongst her favourite flowers and she doesn’t need much of an excuse to visit a plant centre, where a new rose always seems to mysteriously find its way onto her trolley much to her husband’s astonishment.

Eliza also enjoys having a catch-up with friends over tea and cake, as well as bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop – for yet more tea and cake!

Social Media Links –

Amazon author page: Eliza J Scott – UK or  Eliza J Scott – US

Website: Eliza J Scott

Twitter/X: @ElizaJScott1

Facebook: @elizajscottauthor

Instagram: @elizajscott

Bookbub: @elizajscott

Threads: www.threads.com/@elizajscott?hl=en

Thank you for stopping in.

Categories
Uncategorized

Blog Tour for The Last Train from Paris by Suzanne Kelman

ABOUT THE BOOK

Paris, 1943: Charlotte clutches the children tightly to her as they board the train. “Don’t worry,” she whispers to them softly. “I will get you to safety, I promise…”

Charlotte Villette watches in horror as the train leaves the station in a cloud of smoke. Five innocent children stare back at her through the glass, tears running down their cheeks. She promised to keep them safe but, now they have been separated by the Nazi guards, how can she protect them?

For days, Charlotte searches for the missing children. They know the plan was to travel to her aunt’s village, but could they really find it on their own? When she finally arrives, she is overjoyed to see them. But joy soon turns to fear when she discovers the Nazis are already searching the property, and they must run for safety once more.

When she meets Luc, a Frenchman with his own scars from the war, he offers to help them. As the weeks pass, Charlotte begins to trust him. Sitting with him in the candlelight once the children are asleep, she realises his quiet kindness and bright blue eyes have made her feel safe for the first time in years.

But just as she’s wondering whether there can be light in the darkness of war, a Nazi officer she fears from her past steps back into her life, threatening everything she has fought to protect. How far will Charlotte go to protect those she has grown to love? And will she be brave enough to make the ultimate sacrifice to save them?

The final emotional and page-turning novel in The Paris Sisters series tells a story of unbelievable courage in the midst of the Second World War. Perfect for fans of Roberta Kagan, Kristin Hannah, and Fiona Valpy.

MY THOUGHTS

The Last Train from Paris is written by one of my absolute favorite historical fiction authors. I have read many of her books over the years, all excellently written.

This heartbreakingly unputdownable book is a time slip, the writing takes us back and forth from modern times to WWII times, many of the same characters are present in both time periods.

Paris 1943, a young woman promises 5 young innocent children she will get them away from Nazi guards to safety. These children are Jewish.

Her aunt’s village will be a safe haven for them but there are so many setbacks and obstacles along the way.

A Frenchman offers to help but he is fighting his own demons through it all in the quiet candlelight she catches glimpses of a vulnerable side he keeps well hidden.

The danger is ubiquitous and can be felt around every corner and even comes knocking on the door just when they start to relax and think they are in a safe haven. They must never forget the war still rages and the Nazi’s are tracking their every move though they may not yet realize it.

In modern times we meet many of the same characters and see the effects past experiences have had on them. Sad, tragic but a misunderstanding from the past is reconciled and healing takes place.

Highly recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.

All opinions expressed are my own.

Buy here: https://ow.ly/PYtL50ZSXOx

🎧

UK: https://ow.ly/SaKn50ZSXOw US: https://ow.ly/pjU850ZSXOv

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suzanne Kelman is a 2015 Academy of Motion Pictures Nicholl Finalist, Multi-Award-Winning Screenwriter and a Film Producer. As well as working in film she is also an International Amazon Bestselling Fiction Author of the Southlea Bay Series – The Rejected Writers’ Book Club, Rejected Writers Take the Stage and The Rejected Writers’ Christmas Wedding. Born in the United Kingdom, she now resides in Washington State.

Categories
Uncategorized

Whispers at Painswick Court: Historical Regency Romance and Mystery Set in England for Fans of Agatha Christie and Jane Austen

368 pages Publisher Bethany House Publishers Publication date December 2, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

MY THOUGHTS

This is one of my favorite authors for Regency era historical fiction.
Her books are easy to get absorbed into as you’ll want to read for hours.
I enjoyed the characters and could very easily envision the scenes presented playing out.
I loved how atmospheric this is with characters having deep secrets, a rumored haunted house and even a ghost present.
History, mystery, love and secrets taking place in a charming English village.
“Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen in this compelling Regency-era novel laced with intrigue, love, and English village charm for fans of historical romance and whodunit mysteries.”
I’ll be coming back for more of this author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. She worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. Three of her novels have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Minnesota Book Award, the Midwest Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She and her husband have two sons and live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Visit http://www.julieklassen.com and talesfromivyhill.com for more information.

Categories
Uncategorized

Christmas at Honeycombe Bay Blog Tour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christmas at Honeycombe Bay
Two Scrooges come together for a festive-free holiday season by the sea and find all their anti-Christmas plans going up in smoke when they decide to play Santa for a single mom and her child.
Eloise Garrett thinks Christmas is overpriced, overhyped, and overrated, and without any family to share it with, she feels sad, lonely and isolated. The “season for giving” is just a constant reminder that she’s single, sixty(ish), and staring down retirement. But not this Christmas. Determined to avoid the most magical time of the year, Eloise decides to spend Christmas in Honeycombe Bay. Surely a seaside village in the middle of winter won’t be too festive?
Ever since his wife passed away, Bartholomew Knott hasn’t felt up to welcoming visitors to his guest house. With the prospect of another long, lonely winter, and having become more Scrooge than Santa over the years, Bart is dreading Christmas. However, when he’s contacted by someone who dislikes decking the halls just as much as he does, Bart has the brilliant idea of opening the guest house to people who want to escape all things festive.
Christmas isn’t easy to ignore, though, not even in off-season Honeycombe Bay. So when fate forces Bart to give shelter to a single mother and child whose holiday has been devastated by a terrible fire, Eloise finds herself playing Mrs. Claus to Bart’s Santa—dragging the house’s other guest, a heartbroken teacher looking for a break during the holidays, into the action as well. But holiday cheer isn’t the only thing sparking under the mistletoe. Will the guests at Honeycombe Bay realize that, sometimes, the best way to escape Christmas is to let it into your heart?
PERFECT FOR FANS OF

  • Small-town Christmas vibes
  • Later-in-life romance
  • Forced proximity
  • Grumpy x sunshine

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Honeycombe-Bay-Holiday-Romance-ebook/dp/B0GD5CRM9D/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Honeycombe-Bay-Lilac-Mills-ebook/dp/B0H4X7GKRS

MY THOUGHTS

I am a big fan of Lilac Mills books and always look forward to a new one coming out especially one taking place at Christmas time.
Eloise Garrett is so over Christmas and it hasn’t even happened yet. Christmas is just too Christmassy for her. After all what’s the big deal, she has no one to buy for aside from a few friends and she doesn’t enjoy the hype or everyone’s else’s fixation with it.
Time away at a bed and breakfast in Honeycombe Bay is just what she needs and its holiday free because the owner of this lovely little seaside resort isn’t celebrating either since the loss of his wife celebrating without her around just isn’t something he can see himself doing.
The seaside resort owner, Bartholomew Knott and Eloise are both sixty something and seem to have a lot in common and are enjoying time together as she’s the only one staying at the inn for now over the holidays. As their talks become personal, they find themselves becoming close. When other guests arrive they all pitch in to help a single mother and her child having an unfortunate event happen to them. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and enjoyed them all equally.
It was heartwarming seeing the Christmas spirit awaken in the hearts of the characters who though they didn’t need Christmas. So many want to help a young child and his mother at Christmas time helping hand and hearts get a sprinkling of magic and it’s a beautiful thing. Romance is popping up for several couples unexpectedly and this is such a heartwarming and fun book.
Highly recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio – Lilac Mills lives on a Welsh mountain with her very patient husband and incredibly sweet dog, where she grows veggies (if the slugs don’t get them), bakes (badly) and loves making things out of glitter and glue (a mess, usually). She’s been an avid reader ever since she got her hands on a copy of Noddy Goes to Toytown when she was five, and she once tried to read everything in her local library starting with A and working her way through the alphabet. She loves long, hot summer days in the garden, and cold winter ones snuggled in front of the fire, but whatever the weather she’s usually writing or thinking about writing, with heartwarming romance and happy-ever-afters always on her mind.

Lilac also writes under the pseudonyms Liz Davies and Etti Summers

Social Media Links – https://www.instagram.com/lilacmillsauthor/ https://www.lilacmills.com/books

Thank you for stopping in.

Categories
Uncategorized

Dreaming Of A Scottish Summer Cover Reveal

I’ve enjoyed this author’s books so much and I’m delighted to bring you a cover reveal today for her upcoming book.

Dreaming Of A Scottish Summer
Brooke never intended to return to her native Scotland. That is until she’s offered a job with legendary literary agent, Levi Hudson, who just happens to represent her favourite author, Petra Swan.
Petra’s books helped her find hope again after her heart was broken, and Brooke will do anything to meet her. Even if it means working with the formidable Levi.
Not only is he grumpy, he’s also infuriatingly handsome. Yet as his frosty exterior slowly begins to melt, Brooke realises that moving back to the highlands might be the best decision she’s ever made…

Pre-order Links

Publication Date: 31st January 2027

Author Bio – Julie Shackman is a former journalist from Scotland, who has always wanted to write feel-good romance. As well as being an author, Julie also writes verses and captions for greetings card companies. Julie admits to having an obsession with stationery and handbags. She has two sons and an adopted Romanian rescue pup, Cooper. Dreaming of a Scottish Summer is Julie’s sixteenth novel.

Social Media Links – Julie Shackman Author   – Website

https://www.instagram.com/juliegeorginashackman – Instagram

https://www.facebook.com/julie.shackman    – Facebook

https://x.com/G13Julie – X

https://www.tiktok.com/@julieshackmanauthor    – TikTok

Thank you for stopping in.

Categories
Uncategorized

Blog Tour for: The Christmas Cove Inn by Kristin Harper

ABOUT THE BOOK

All Celeste wants for Christmas is to escape. But could a surprise visit to an inn where candles glow behind every window and the smell of winter spices fill the air be her chance at a new beginning?

Dropping her suitcase down on the front step of the Christmas Cove Inn, Celeste can’t help but smile. Her holidays should have been spent on assignment in the Caribbean, the perfect way to mend her broken heart. But when her flight was diverted to Sea Spray Island near Cape Cod, she had to take the only room left at the inn.

Celebrating the season is the last thing on her mind but that’s all cheerful islander and single dad Nathan wants to do. His family’s cozy inn is full of festive spirit, and it’s not only the twinkling decorations and crackling fires that begin to thaw Celeste’s aching heart…

With fast-falling snow keeping her on the island, she’s soon drawn in to the Christmas countdown activities by the quirky locals… and is spending more and more time with Nathan. When he asks for her help to raise money for the struggling community center, she says yes in a heartbeat. For the first time in years, has Celeste finally found a place to call home?

But when the snow stops and it’s time for Celeste to return to the city, will she really be able to say goodbye to Nathan and Christmas Cove? Or will the magic of the season give her a reason to stay?

A heart-warming and joyous festive read full of romance, Christmas spirit and small-town charm. Perfect for fans of Pamela Kelley, Heidi Swain and Sarah Morgan.

This book was previously published as Celebration At Christmas Cove.

Publication Date: 15 September 2026

MY THOUGHTS

Looking for a positive, feel good, charming Christmas romance you’ve found your book.
Loved meeting Celeste and Nathan and seeing how their most unexpected romance plays out.
A snowstorm diverts her work travel flight from the Caribbean where she’s assigned to cover the holidays on assignment over Christmas to Sea Spray Island near Cape Cod.
She’s understandably very upset for the diversion, but the bad weather keeps piling on and as her relation progresses, we see how charming it really is on the island. I loved meeting all the people there and getting a real feel of the wants and needs of them. They are trying desperately to get funding for the important community center to not close. It’s the hub of the town and all the fun stuff happens there.
Nathan’s family inn is so cozy and charming that I’d love to visit it myself.
As this charming community draws her more into its arms and she’s made to feel so welcome she is delighted to help with the community center fund raiser. What will happen once the snow stops flying though and things return to normal with her boss not happy about the major delay covering the travel story of the season.
Will she leave Nathan and return to her job, does she even want to now or has the holiday spirit wrapped itself around her and convinced her this is really where she wants to be in a new romance with the welcoming townsfolks.
Loved this holiday romance so warm and welcoming and so festively told.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0H7JGRZ99social

Kristin Harper

Kristin Harper earned an MFA in creative writing. Before becoming a full-time author, she held numerous professional roles, including college professor, data analyst, and development director. She grew up in New England, and has lived in various places across the US, including the West Coast and Washington, D.C. Kristin’s now happily back in Massachusetts, just a stone’s throw from Cape Cod – the source of inspiration for the setting of her Dune Island series.

Thank you for stopping in.

Categories
Uncategorized

Blog Tour for: Winter Magic at Hollybrae Castle

ABOUT THE BOOK

Winter Magic at Hollybrae Castle
A Scottish castle, a fake marriage… and one very real Christmas romance?
After a window display goes disastrously viral – thanks to a malfunctioning animatronic Santa and an unfortunate encounter with Paddington Bear – Lula Haines finds herself without a job just weeks before Christmas. So she jumps at the chance to decorate Hollybrae Castle in Scotland for the holidays.
There’s just one complication: her handsome new boss, Oliver Bracewell, needs a fake wife for the festive season. To secure a promotion that could save his family’s castle, Ollie has been pretending to be a married father-of-two to impress the family-focused firm where he works. Now his bosses are coming to stay at Hollybrae over Christmas… expecting to meet his non-existent wife and children.
At first, playing along is easy as Lula is swept up in the magic of turning Hollybrae into the perfect festive escape with Ollie. But as Christmas draws nearer and she and Ollie grow closer, Lula begins to wonder if Hollybrae could become more than a temporary escape… and if the man she’s only pretending to love might actually be the one she’s been waiting for all along.
With heaps of tartan, tinsel and Christmas magic, this uplifting romance is perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Heidi Swain, Cressida McLaughlin, Ellie Henderson or Jessica Redland!

MY THOUGHTS

After being introduced to this author’s books several years ago I haven’t missed reading anything she’s written. Her books are really relatable.
The story starts off with a hilarious mishap, I mean I really wouldn’t want to have been in Lula Haines shoes but it sure makes for a comedy of errors.
When the dust settles or should I say stuffing she finds herself without a job right before Christmas.
At this point desperation leads her to accept a job decorating Hollybrae Castle in Scotland. Oh my, the description especially with the castle all gussied up for the holiday’s is marvelous. Talk about a fairytale castle.
When her new boss needs her to play along to help him get a promotion she has to pretend to be his wife along with caring for their nonexistent children.
The hilarity continues as the boss and his wife ask her questions about past events she should know about concerning her “husband” and herself and she really fudges it, can’t be prepared for everything in this fake relationship.
When does the pretense start feeling oh so real and her leaving after Christmas when the job is done seems like the last thing she wants to do now.
This kept me spellbound as I read. A fairytale romance in a fairytale castle. What more could you ask for?
Absolutely loved this one!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Links
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GM2WTCSZ/
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GM2WTCSZ/

Author Bio –

Jaimie Admans is the bestselling author of several romantic comedies – including The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane and The Post Box at the North Pole. Her series for Boldwood, The Ever After Street Series, is based on the magical world of fairytales.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @JaimieAdmansBooks

Twitter: @be_the_spark

Instagram: @jaimieadmans1

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JaimieAdmansNews

Thank you for stopping in.

Categories
Uncategorized

Christmas, Actually Blog Tour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Welcome to Hollythorpe, a quaint village in the Cotswolds, where the locals are stringing lights around their village tree. And meet Clara as she pulls her suitcase through the snow, hoping for a new start…

This isn’t the Christmas that Clara was hoping for. Twenty-four hours ago, she was engaged, a shiny diamond on her wedding finger and a gorgeous husband-to-be by her side. Only now, the ring is gone and so is he. She’s almost given up on Christmas magic completely – until she arrives in Hollythorpe.

Clara waits outside her kindly godmother Eleanor’s red front door, knowing that a warm welcome will help heal her aching heart. Snowflakes are falling gently on her long dark hair when a car sprays her with slush and then, unexpectedly, stops to help. Clara lays eyes on Liam stepping out of his car, six feet of gorgeousness. She realises maybe there could be upsides to a cosy Cotswolds Christmas…

Except Liam is closed off to everyone and Clara knows she should be protecting her heart too, so she tries to put him out of her mind. When the village’s usual Mrs Christmas calls in sick before Hollythorpe’s winter fair, Clara steps into the role to help her godmother. Only, she hasn’t realised who Mr Christmas is… none other than Liam himself.

As the two are thrown together to bring Christmas to Hollythorpe, Liam’s icy exterior starts to thaw. And Clara can’t deny she’s falling for him. But then the past comes back to haunt them, changing everything…

Will Clara and Liam end up lonely this Christmas? Or can the most wonderful time of the year bring them together, actually?

Publication date 11 September 2026

Buy here: https://ow.ly/tOvc50ZLLRF

MY THOUGHTS

Isn’t Christmas supposed to be the best and happiest time of the year?
So then why is Clara feeling so glum?
Just yesterday she was happily engaged, enviable sparkling ring on her finger with a handsome man by her side.
Keep in mind, that was yesterday. That was before she found out what he was really like and before he was gone.
A new start in the Cotswold’s and a quaint little village of Hollythorpe gives her a feeling of hope back.
Staying with Aunt Elanor is just the perfect place to be. she’s so kind and encouraging.
The Christmas spirit is hitting and a chance meeting with gorgeous Liam kicks her interest in being in this festively decorated small town another notch.
Warm, welcoming, festively decorated with softly falling snow will kick your Christmas reading off the right way in this charming seasonal read.
Relationships take center stage here, we see several romances bloom and kind and supportive friends and family there for each other as well.
Five star read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Donna has had sixteen books published in total. Four have been in the Amazon top 100 and one even made it to number seven in the UK and US Kindle charts, another made it to number one in the UK, US and AU free Kindle charts. She was also shortlisted for the RNA Debut Romantic Novel of the Year in 2019.

She lives in Hertfordshire, with her own romantic hero, two grown up kids who pop in occasionally and two grumpy cats. She loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she’s escaping into a romance novel or movie.

Thank you for stopping in.