The Post Box at the North Pole - Jaimie Admans

 

Dear Santa,

I wish I could believe in magic again.

From, Sasha.

Sasha Hansley hates Christmas. As a child, it was her favourite time of year, but ever since the tragic death of her mother, it has completely lost its magic.

But when she gets an unexpected phone call from her eccentric estranged father, she’s forced to dust off her snow boots.

He has been running a Lapland-style Christmas village in Norway and after suffering a heart attack, he is on strict doctor’s orders to slow down. Eager to reconnect with her dad, Sasha books the next flight out there. Only she has never actually been on a plane before, let alone to the Arctic Circle.

 Met at the runway by drop-dead-gorgeous Taavi Salvesen, they sleigh ride through the snow with the Northern Lights guiding their way.

 When Sasha uncovers sacks of unopened Santa mail – letters that children and adults from all over the world write to Santa every year – she realises that she can send a little bit of magic out into the world by replying to some of them.

 With Taavi on hand to help, will Sasha rediscover her own excitement for Christmas and find love among the letters?

The Post Box at the North Pole is like one big romantic mug of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and a splash of Christmas magic! Fans of Holly Martin, Sarah Morgan and Heidi Swain will love this novel!

My Review:
Seasonal frolics and Christmas galore in this magical, cosy treat of a read. I couldn’t put this down as I’d mentally whisked myself away to Norway’s North Pole Forest! It’s festive, it’s keeping the magic well and truly alive for all ages; if you need a bit of festive happiness this year, this book will firmly work wonders!

The oldest, most cynical amongst you are sure to feel the festive spirit after this book, and in my opinion it’s the best yet from Jaimie Admans.

Sasha isn’t that fond of Christmas anymore, the magic died a long time ago for her. Her father is always off exploring the world or doing something daring so she hasn’t got anyone to make this season special. Out of the blue her Dad calls and asks her to visit as he has had a heart attack and he needs her help. Sash jets off to Norway, to go support him and convince him that it’s time to come home.

With a surprise journey awaiting her once she arrives, she meets Taavi who both frustrates and amazes her in equal measure. As the next few days pass, Sash learns more about her Dad, the business and also about Taavi. She also starts reading the letters delivered to Santa and her heart thaws, her sense of wonder slowly starts to return and starts to remember to true magic of Christmas. Feeling like she can do more, Sash sets to work in responding to the letters and providing help where she can.

There is so much to the story; romance, fun, pain, drama, upset and a bit of magical intrigue. It’s wonderful.

I could see this play out as a film, you can picture workshops, festive villages etc. An absolute joy to read and I can’t recommend this highly enough this Christmas.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DFHFNW3

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DFHFNW3

Author Bio:

Jaimie is a 36-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.
She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.

She is the author of several romantic comedies for HarperCollins - The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, The Little Wedding Island, It's a Wonderful Night, The Little Vintage Carousel by the Sea, Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm, The Little Bookshop of Love Stories, The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, and The Post Box at the North Pole.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/be_the_spark

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jaimieadmansbooks

One Snowy Week in Springhollow by Lucy Knott

Tomboy Scarlett thought Devon would be her best friend forever. He was the only person in Springhollow who supported her ambitious artist dreams. But then one winter, Devon and his parents disappear without warning to start a new life in NYC and a devastated Scarlett is left alone to face her high-school bullies and overbearing mother.

Fast-forward ten years: Scarlett is playing it safe in her childhood village with a dull PA job and a wardrobe that passes her mother's old-fashioned standards. Meanwhile, Devon is a Hollywood heartthrob, starring in the latest superhero blockbuster. And he's finally coming home for Christmas...

Scarlett can't help blaming her former best friend for the way her life has turned out, but Devon's cheeky charm and gorgeous smile prove difficult to resist. Devon always did make her feel on top of the world, but Scarlett knows her heart isn't racing just because she has her friend back – is it mistletoe madness, or is she seeing Devon in a completely new light?

Scarlett hasn't taken a risk in years... but this Christmas of second chances could finally be her time to shine.

Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Jo Thomas and Holly Martin.

My Review:

Looking for a cosy and heart warming read to snuggle up with this festive season? Then this could do the trick.

Scarlett and Devon are inseparable at 16, best friends bound by the united loves for all things seemingly geeky. Years of hi-jinks and antics are abruptly cut short when Devon moves to New York. After his departure Scarlett can no longer allow herself to find pleasure in the things that connected them – Marvel and superheroes. Years later Devon returns to the village having found fame as a Hollywood actor staring as, yes, you guessed it a new superhero.

Unwilling to forgive her former best friend for abandoning her, will Scar give Devon the chance to be back in her life or has too much time gone by?

Celebrating all things geek – I love it and a real refreshing change for the norm of main characters. I could really feel Scars sense of abandonment and coupled with Mother issues, I could understand her difficulty in moving past it and being able to have any connection to the friendship she felt she had lost.

Devon seems a great character both when he was younger, getting into mischief, and now as a superhero star. I loved the use of flashbacks to demonstrate some of the trouble the pair caused and a glimpse into the special relationship they had.

Of course, there is romance. It wouldn’t be complete without it really and as much as I wanted to see this former friendship restored, I was hoping they would realise what everyone else probably already expected – they were destined to be in love.

With a gorgeous village setting, it’s a great story that also highlights the importance of being true to yourself, owning who you are and never letting anyone or anything change that. Happiness comes in many ways but being yourself is the biggest part in that.

Lucy Knott writes brilliant books, with gorgeous characters and storylines. Check out her other books too, a real treat. 

Purchase links:

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/32sEaMQ 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3pf4Ry7 

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Ikp84y 

iBooks: https://apple.co/35dyPdZ

About Lucy:
Lucy Knott is a former professional wrestler with a passion for storytelling. Now, instead of telling her stories in the ring, she's putting pen to paper, fulfilling another lifelong dream in becoming an Author.

Inspired by her Italian Grandparents, when she is not writing you will most likely find her cooking, baking and devouring Italian food, in addition to learning Italian and daydreaming of trips to Italy.

Along with her twin sister, Kelly, Lucy runs TheBlossomTwins.com, where she enthusiastically shares her love for books, baking and Italy, with daily posts, reviews and recipes.

Follow Lucy:

Twitter: @TheBlossomTwins

Facebook: @TheBlossomTwins 

Instagram: @theblossomtwins

A kiss in the Snow - Rosie Green

 

After a cruel twist of fate sends her hurtling into a black hole of despair, Carrie is absolutely dreading the festive season - especially with sister, Krystle, being even more demanding of her time and energy than usual. But then friend Maddy offers Carrie a lifeline: the chance to get away from it all in a holiday cottage in the gorgeous little village of Silverbells. Deciding that a few weeks of tranquillity - reading, baking and going for long walks in the countryside - might just restore her mood, Carrie is quick to take up the offer. But on arriving, it very soon becomes clear that this break is going to be anything but peaceful!

An unwelcome houseguest proves unsettling enough - especially one who whistles loudly first thing in the morning and is far too cheerful for his own good - but finding herself drawn into the spooky mystery of her missing neighbour means there really isn't much time for personal reflection. And then love comes knocking, and Carrie is forced to decide exactly where her heart lies.

Will this festive season be the disaster Carrie predicted? Or will Santa be good to her and deliver her heart's desire? One thing's for sure - this will be a Christmas Carrie will never, ever forget...

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/32VMJjD

My Review: 

There will never be a time when I don’t love reading the latest release from Rosie Green. Find her series of novella’s was such a great moment, I jumped in and haven’t looked back. This is the 13^th release in her series, but like each of the other 1-12 it can be read as a standalone. Each time I write a review I implore readers to read the others anyway because they are just wonderful stories with a great collection of characters – and this time is no exception. Treat yourselves to the delights Rosie Green has brought to life.

This time we follow Carrie’s story, whilst she has appeared a couple of times in other books, we don’t really know her or much about her so it’s brilliant we get to discover more now. Also, we are in a whole new village – Silverbells, which sounds dreamy and an ideal place for festive shenanigans to me.

I’ve really enjoyed meeting new characters in the residents of Silverbells and I hope we get to revisit them at some point in the future, they definitely seem like they have stories to tell.

As always, the storylines are ones that make you feel emotionally up and down, your heart is taken in many directions but you always want the best outcome for all involved, even if that isn’t what you expect at the start.

Carrie decides it is time to move out of her twin sisters shadow, she needs to something for herself and ease the ache in her heart. A chance meeting with a mysterious stranger brings many a surprise for Carrie, if she just allows herself the opportunity to see what might just happen if she does what she wants for once.

Prepare to fall in love, with Carrie, Silverbells and Rosie Greens wonderful storytelling.  

Author Bio:

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. 

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by 'the baddies'.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all - unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988

A Christmas Kiss by Eliza J Scott

A sparkling festive romance that will warm your heart this Christmas.

The week before Christmas, GP Zander Gillespie finds his festive plans in tatters. He's supposed to be flying out to his parents' chateau in Carcassonne with his high-maintenance girlfriend, Melissa. But she has other ideas. She wants to spend Christmas in London with her party friends - and he's not invited. The prospect of facing his family, with their questions and their sympathy - not to mention the 'I told you so-s' - just isn't an option. Instead, Zander decides to head to his holiday cottage in the quaint moorland village of Lytell Stangdale, where he intends to hide away with his faithful rescue Labrador Alf.

Eighty miles away, Livvie's world has come crashing down. With plans to cook a romantic meal for her boyfriend, she heads home early and walks in on him in a compromising position with their neighbour. Fed-up of his lies and philandering ways, this is the final straw. With her Christmas plans up in smoke, the thought of spending it with her parents and her smug, married sister with her pompous husband in tow, is enough to bring Livvie out in hives. So, when she fires up her laptop and finds the perfect little holiday cottage in Lytell Stangdale available to rent over the festive period, it seems the perfect solution. Or is it...?

Zander didn't believe in love at first sight until he set eyes on Livvie. Livvie had sworn off men until she met Zander. The pair may be reluctant to give in to temptation, but fate seems to have other ideas...

Join Livvie and Zander - and all the usual characters - for a magical Christmas in Lytell Stangdale.

Purchase Links:

UK- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Kiss-Life-Moors-Book-ebook/dp/B07XBSZMQ5/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Kiss-Life-Moors-Book-ebook/dp/B07XBSZMQ5/

My Review:

It’s always a delight to get tucked up inside one of Eliza’s Life on the Moors series. This is book 4 and a fantastic festive delight to keep us entertained. If you haven’t read any of the previous books don’t worry, this can be read as a standalone, although I know you’ll want to catch up with the rest! If you have been following this series, then you will love catching up with some much-loved favourites.

A Christmas Kiss is a cosy, feel good romance that will have you yearning for log fires, snowy days and a special someone to snuggle up with. It has a beautiful storyline that will warm the cockles of your heart this festive time.

Livvie and Zander our are main characters this time and what a gorgeous coupling this could possibly be. I think they were just destined to be; fate, snow and a wonderfully amusing dog called Alf were all able to play a part. Both had complicated personal lives when they meet by random chance but as soon as they meet, sparks fly and who can stop destiny.

Loved catching up with old favourites, that’s always a bonus about a series, or books set within the same locale. They didn’t take centre stage but played enough of a role to remind us of the wonderful community Eliza has created. Yet again, a place I could see myself really becoming part of – what a fantastic bunch of people.

A very special read, perfect for the changing weather. I enjoyed it so much, I couldn’t read it quick enough. Thank you, Eliza, for giving us another story to capture our imaginations and leave us with a warm, fuzzy heart. 

Author Bio:Eliza lives in a 17th-century cottage on the edge of a village in the North Yorkshire Moors with her husband, their two daughters and two mischievous black Labradors. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book/glued to her Kindle or working in her garden. Eliza also enjoys bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop where she can indulge in another two of her favourite things: tea and cake.

Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heart-warming stories with happy endings.

Social Media Links: 

Twitter: Eliza J Scott – @ElizaJScott1

Instagram: Eliza J Scott - @elizajscott

Facebook: Eliza J Scott - @elizajscottauthor

Blog: www.elizajscott.com

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/ElizaJScott

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza-j-scott

Amazon Author Page: UK:  www.amazon.co.uk/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

                                          US: www.amazon.com/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

BLOGTOUR: Notting Hill in the Snow - Jules Wake

It's mayhem in Bethlehem…unless they can work together!

Viola Smith plays the viola in an orchestra (yes really!), but this year she's been asked to stretch her musical talents to organising Notting Hill's local nativity.

Nate Williams isn't looking forward to Christmas but as his small daughter, Grace, has the starring role in the show, he's forced to stop being a Grinch and volunteer with Viola.

With the sparks between them hotter than the chestnuts roasting in Portobello market, Nate and Viola can't deny their feelings. And as the snow starts to fall over London, they find themselves trapped together in more ways than one…

My Review:

Genuinely, I am not sure anything I could write would do this beauty justice. I read it days ago (and have read a couple of books since) and I just can’t shake this book from my mind and my feelings. I have THE biggest book hangover from Notting Hill in the Snow.

I am such a huge fan of Jules Wake in every guise, I know that any time I open her books I will be transported to an amazing place with gorgeous characters who will imprint on my heart.  This book is not an exception, it will be one of my annual festive reads for sure, there is no way I can forget Viola, Nate and the adorable Grace.

Grace is the lynch pin that completely ties this story together; older than her years and so vulnerable, the relationship that develops between her and Viola is heart-warming to say the least. I enjoyed how that was the most prominent and important relationship – leaving the relationship with Nate as a complete slow burn. I wanted that to happen, don’t get me wrong but for me, what won my weary heart round was that lovely little girl finding someone she could truly rely on.

Jules writes such warm, cosy stories that are both full of emotion and amusing wit, with a patchwork of characters who will charm, some who will annoy and some who mean well but often miss the mark. Viola is a gorgeous leading lady; she’s a bit of a doormat at first and her family take advantage of her massively but as the book progressed and she got herself sorted I was cheering her on to stand up to them and say something. She is smart, funny and has an incredible heart.

Even though I had a sneaky feeling what may happen, I found it to be far more emotional that I anticipated, and I admit it nearly got me a little teary and that NEVER happens.

With a lot of really laugh out loud funny moments, gorgeous festive shenanigans and wonderfully developed relationships Jules Wake has given us something very special.

I couldn’t recommend this more if I tried. Absolutely wonderful. 

Purchase Links

UK  - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Notting-Hill-Snow-heartwarming-uplifting-ebook/dp/B07RNFF9Q1/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Notting-Hill-Snow-heartwarming-uplifting-ebook/dp/B07RNFF9Q1/

Author Bio: 

Jules Wake announced at the age of ten that she planned to be a writer. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury brands and not so luxury brands. This proved fabulous training for writing novels as it provided her with the opportunity to hone her writing and creative skills penning copy on a vast range of subjects from pig farming and watches, sunglasses and skincare through to beer and stationery. 

She writes best-selling warm-hearted contemporary fiction for One More Chapter as Jules Wake and under her pen name Julie Caplin, she writes the Romantic Escapes series. 

Between them, the two Js have written twelve novels, Notting Hill in the Snow being the latest.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @Juleswake

https://www.facebook.com/juleswake.co.uk/

Instagram: juleswakeauthor