The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey

The Snow Child has been on my TBR for a while now. If you haven't gathered already, I love a folklore/fairytale retelling and whilst this didn't technically meet my Christmas read criteria - the Snow element definitely meant I was going to allow the tedious link.

Mabel and Jack have moved from their somewhat comfortable surroundings to Alaska. It's 1920 and they have no idea what they are coming up against. The harsh Alaskan winters are not for the feint hearted but after suffering with what would have been called "melancholy", Mabel wants a fresh start.

Whilst no accurate ages are given, I see the couple as being middle-aged (perhaps early 50's) and as a result, the cruel cold backdrop is a challenge for them physically. On top of this, Mabel thoughts lead us to understand that she is still grieving after a loss years prior.

I wouldn't want to give too much away so I'll leave my synopsis there. This book was an unexpected love for me though - around 50 pages in, I was concerned it would become a DNF for me because I found it slow paced and American wilderness is not for me. But I stuck with it and I found it to be a truly beautiful book.

The writing is stunning, the feelings and thoughts portrayed are heart felt and the real life challenges that would have been experienced are carefully laid out.

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Christmas At The Island Hotel - Jenny Colgan

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times - for me, snuggling down with a Jenny Colgan book is like a hug from an old friend. And Christmas At The Island Hotel is no exception. Now, this is part of a series in the way that it follows a family of characters for their fourth installment, however as always, this works perfectly as a standalone book. Fintan, grieving the loss of his partner, has been left to open The Rock - the hotel on the island of Mure. Suddenly, this born and bred farmer needs to source a kitchen team to maintain the legacy of his late partner. And now he has a French chef that no one else wants, working in his kitchen. Konstantin, Norwegian party boy and all round spoilt brat, has been cast out by his Dad and has to learn how to be self sufficient. He finds himself on the remote island of Mure, halfway between Scotland and Norway, with no money, no friends and no idea how to chop an onion, As always, Jenny expertly weaves the lives of the characte...

A Merry Little Meet Cute - Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

What a bloody lovely Christmas beaut this was! If you're venturing into spicy romance books and have been on Instagram or TikTok recently, it's likely that you would have seen this little gem doing the rounds. Bee is a content creator for ClosedDoor (think.. OnlyFans) and Nolan is an ex-boyband bad boy that are both cast in a Hope Channel (think... Hallmark) Christmas movie, Duke The Halls. Nolan is reinventing his career and trying to rid himself of the bad boy image whereas Bee is brought in last minute because the Lead Actress has been taken ill. The best part? Bee was a massive fan of Nolan in her teenage years and Nolan has been following Bee on social media for a while. And they're getting paid to get to know each other. I adored this book. It was everything I wanted it to be and is perfect for those of us who love a Hallmark Christmas movie but wished there was a bit heat in the romances. the positive message around Bee's work is brilliantly handled, not to me...

Orphans of The Storm - Celia Imrie

Started: Thursday 7th July 2022 Finished: Saturday 9th July 2022 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Given my obsession with the story of the Titanic in my younger years, this is the first book I've ever read which is based around the tragic disaster. I bought Orphans of the Storm on a whim on one of my Waterstone's sprees - and I vowed to make it my next read. What I didn't realise is that it is based on the true story of the last surviving passenger from the disaster. And it was incredible. So incredible that the minute I got home, I gave it to my mum to read and I've just bought a copy for one of my ex-colleagues because the history was common ground for us. I didn't know what to expect - I knew it would pull at the heart strings but I didn't appreciate quite how much. The way it's written, Imrie really allows the suspense and bewilderment to build. Of course, it's no spoiler to say - The Ship Sinks At The End - but the way it is written from two separate perspe...

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