The Christmas Wish List - by Heidi Swain - INCLUDING Q&A!

After being let go from her job in a swanky hotel just weeks before Christmas, Hattie is feeling lost. Even more so when her high-flying boyfriend announces he’s landed his dream job in Abu Dhabi and asks her to move with him.

Luckily, Hattie’s long-time friend Dolly is on hand to help and invites Hattie to spend one last holiday in the small, festive town of Wynbridge, determined to give her a Christmas to remember . . . Upon Hattie’s arrival, holiday preparations are in full swing. But for Hattie, whose Christmas cheer has long since run out, it’ll take more than mince pies and mistletoe to open her heart to the season once more.

Relishing the task of reigniting Hattie’s Christmas spirit, Dolly suggests they create a wish list of all the things the season can offer, and with the helpful hands of Wynbridge’s resident handyman, Beamish, Hattie finds her frosty exterior is starting to thaw. As Wynbridge prepares for its most spectacular Christmas yet, will Hattie leave snowy England behind for life in a sunnier clime, or will she in fact realise that her heart’s desire lies much closer to home?

AVAILABLE HERE

My Review:

By now we’ve established I am a #swainette through and through, I am forever looking forward to my next Heidi Swain fix. I can’t help it (not would I want to either) – the wonderful worlds and communities Heidi has created for us all to enjoy; each book feels like a visit to old friends, like we’re catching up with loved ones and how can anyone not want more of that?

I absolutely adored ‘The Christmas Wish List,’ and what wonderful new friends we met! Hattie, Dolly, Beamish all bringing something very special to the festive treat. What a fantastic woman Dolly is, a wonderful friend, support and role model especially to Hattie. She’s a smart woman with the foresight to know what will be best for others before they even realise it for themselves. Her subtle and careful planning ensures the time she has with Hattie will benefit those she truly cares for.

Hattie; I was so pleased when she went to stay with Dolly. She needed her Christmas spirit reignited and there is no other place more perfect than Wynbridge is you ask me. I love how Heidi gives us characters we connect to and want the best for, and Hattie is that typical character. You could clearly see the doubt she had about her “new life” and I hoped that Dolly and Wynbridge would give her the answers she needed about her future.

Beamish is our heart throb and he’s fantastic, he could come and be my local handyman anytime. What a great guy!

I love any trip to Wynbridge and always love mentions of previous characters, we do get a little sprinkling of that in this book but nothing that would mean you couldn’t pick up this and love it wholeheartedly. With themes of friendships, being true to yourself and embracing the things that happen to come your way, this is a read that will stay with you for quite some time.

Festive feelings galore, if you love all this Christmas then this is for you; if you are yet to get in this festive spirit then you should give this one a read. It left me with the warm and fuzzies for a very long time after I’d finished reading. I absolutely loved it.

This is a very special book and will be one of my ‘must read’ festive books every year.

Q&A with the wonderful Heidi Swain: 

I'm so lucky to have the wonderful Heidi as my 100th blog post! Here is a little festive Q&A with our favourite #Swainette. Thanks Heidi!!

"Hello Jenn. Thank you so much for hosting The Christmas Wish List blog tour today. I’m absolutely delighted to be chatting to you about all things festive.

What do you enjoy the most about Christmas?

I’m a HUGE fan of Christmas so it’s difficult to pin down what I enjoy the most. I love that feeling that you get in the run-up to the big day. There’s a palpable sense of excitement as the time ticks by and that, added to the cinnamon spiced scents, the crisp, cold air and the warming drinks and delicious eats make for a heady cocktail!

I love finding the perfect present for someone, snuggling down to watch Christmas films, baking and catching up with family and friends.

Watching Carols from Kings is also high on my enjoyment list. By the time it airs, everything is wrapped, delivered and ready and I find it the perfect way to ease into the joy that is Christmas Eve evening.

I really could keep writing forever. I love it all!

Do you have a favourite festive read?

I certainly do. Actually, it’s two… is that allowed?

I always start December in exactly the same way, by reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. In fact, I love it so much, I always end up reading it again nearer to Christmas day. I have a beautiful hardback edition, a paperback and an e-book so wherever I am at the start of advent, Mr Dickens is always within easy reach.

My other favourite festive read is Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley. I know I’m not alone in loving this book and the warm and cosy winter feelings it evokes. It’s always on my nightstand at Christmas.

How did you get in to the festive spirit when writing The Christmas Wish List so early in the year?

I really don’t tend to find writing out of season a problem. I can conjure Christmas in my head at any time of year. That said, I do like to get my planning – or most of it – done during the corresponding season. For example, right now, I’m not only working on the edits for The Secret Seaside Escape, I’m also thinking through and making notes for my next festive title.

There are still certain days when a scented candle, a Michael Bublé CD and sniffing a jar of mincemeat comes in handy though!

Describe your perfect Christmas day.

My perfect Christmas day is very simple.

The day begins with opening stockings in bed, followed by a smoked salmon and poached egg breakfast combo. After that, there’s lunch to cook with Classic FM on in the background and numerous telephone calls to and from family and friends.

After the ridiculously large meal, the presents under the tree are opened and enjoyed and then a highly competitive boardgame is played before tensions are diffused in front of a festive film or two with an accompanying glass of fizz.

The day ends with yet more food, a long hot bath and a brand-new book.

A simple day, but perfect nonetheless!

You include Dolly and Hattie’s Christmas Wish List at the end of the book, would this be similar to your own wish list?

Absolutely! I love that list so much. Although I’m not sure about the ice skating. That’s something I’ve never tried before, so maybe I should. What do you think?

And the final thing on the list, number 12 – drink mulled wine or hot chocolate – that’s a typo, surely? I really think it should read – drink mulled wine and hot chocolate!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Heidi Swain is the Sunday Times bestselling author of nine novels. She lives in Norfolk with her husband, two allegedly grown-up children and a mischievous black cat called Storm. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside and collects vintage paraphernalia.

To find out more, follow Heidi on twitter @Heidi_Swain or visit her website: www.heidiswain.co.uk.

The Christmas Spirit - Susan Buchanan

The Christmas Spirit - Blurb

Christmas is coming, but not everyone is looking forward to it.
Rebecca has just been dumped and the prospect of spending the holiday period with her parents is less than appealing. Eighty- two-year-old Stanley lost his beloved wife, Edie, to cancer. How will he cope with his first Christmas without her? Jacob’s university degree hasn’t helped him get a job, and it looks like he’ll still be signing on come New Year. Workaholic Meredith would rather spend December 25th at home alone with a ready meal and a DVD box set. Can anything make her embrace the spirit of the season?

The enigmatic Natalie Hope takes over the reins at the Sugar and Spice bakery and café in an attempt to spread some festive cheer and restore Christmas spirit, but will she succeed?

Available to buy here:  http://amzn.to/1gcpTrc (UK) & http://amzn.to/KUArMU (US)

My Review:

If you are looking for a feel-good festive treat look no further. It is a heartwarming tale, an utterly charming story that will give you the warm and fuzzy feeling that is plentiful at Christmas time. 

With a lovely selection of well written characters you are drawn into each of their stories - they all face some sadness or problem but its a pleasure to read how they are interwoven into each others lives and how a special someone ensures they have a happier Christmas they thought possibly.

You can tell how unique Natalie is throughout and how she is instrumental in spreading her own Christmas magic for all the characters we grow find of.  I feel more could have been made of Natalie - she is so important to this story and although I like what I read of her, especially at the end, I feel like I wanted to know more. 

This book has it all - romance, humour and that special festive magic. It's a nice read, with a great pace. The descriptions of all Natalies special cakes will have you dreaming of cake; I'm definitely tempted to search for recipes of some! 

Looking for a quick read that will leave you with a warm feeling? Then I recommend The Christmas Spirit. 

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍
Thank you to Rachels Random Resources for the opportunity to review this book.

About the Author:

Susan Buchanan lives in Scotland with her husband and their two children. She is the author of four novels: Return of the Christmas Spirit, The Christmas Spirit, The Dating Game, and Sign of the Times. She is currently working on books five and six: The Proposal and Just One Day.

Susan is also a proofreader, editor and translator, and when not working, writing, or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows and eating out – not necessarily in that order!

Facebook – www.facebook.com/susan.buchanan.author

Twitter – susan_buchanan

Blog – Sooz’s journal – www.susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk

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One Day in December - Josie Silver

Available on Amazon here 

Goodreads Blurb: A love story about what happens after you meet, or rather, don't meet the one. Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist.But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic...and then her bus drives away.

Assured they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year searching for him. She doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend introduces her new boyfriend, Jack. 

What follows is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered.

Review:

One Day in December is one of those books that you start and within a couple of chapters you know you will not be putting it down - not for anything! The further into the book I read, the more involved I got and there was just no way I would, or could,  stop until the very last word.   

The story of Laurie and those she loves is engaging, frustrating yet heartwarming. You can identify the many ways one person can love and be loved - evident through the different relationships developed in this story. If you haven't had one 100% true love yet, or you have had several, if you have lost love or those that you love - you will identify with Laurie at some point in this book and that's what makes it utterly fantastic and will appeal to so many. This is not your typical love story; it isn't as simple as girl meets boy, they fall in love, something happens to break them but within a couple of chapters the book ends with them reconciled. One Day in December is full of love, all consuming and life-changing love but broken down with an interwoven tale of angst, heart break and loss.

I enjoyed the characters and though the focus is really on the situations they put themselves in, the characters are relatable and interesting, with none really pushing my buttons and annoying me like some can in other books. You grow with these characters, the time span of the story is over a decade - an emotional rollercoaster from the perspectives of Laurie and Jack.  You are given their inner most thoughts and feelings and entrusted with their heartbreaking secrets; you know they care deeply for each other as well as the other characters. 

Josie Silver balances angsty, emotional story lines with scenes of humour and light; some quirky moments alongside the ones that have you reaching for the tissues. It's a fairly short read, but it is perfect for a cold day in December; you can get cosy and enjoy the book.

I was happy with how the book ended, but I think I wanted more. I'm only being greedy (often happens when I enjoy a book)... I felt that I had come so far with the characters so the ending just wasn't quite enough , I longed to know how it all worked out - maybe fast forward a year and be given an epilogue of sorts. Maybe it's been left open for a return visit to these characters in the future?

"You tread lightly through life, but you leave deep footprints that are hard for other people to fill.

Thank you Josie Silver for giving us such a gorgeous book, full of heart and soul. I loved reading every word. It was emotional and definitely gave me moments where I could reflect on my own life and events within it that enabled a strong connection with the main character that I haven't had in many books this year. It is no surprise that Reece Witherspoons book club pick for December is One Day in December. It's truly deserved and I can only throw in my support and recommend this as one you definitely need to read.

Comfy Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍