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I received this book on audio from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
CW: Illness of a parent, infertility discussions.
This book feels a bit like The Wedding Date meets You've Got Mail.
When Victoria meets Oliver, she tells herself not to fall for his handsome face when his family business threatens to ruin the rest of the street. However, soon Oliver proposes a deal - Victoria will pose as his fianceé in front of his family, desperate to see him matched up, and he in turn will help her out on the day of the store's opening by not only inviting the local traders to get involved but also allow her to host a fashion show. Victoria agrees but soon the pair find themselves with all too-real feelings.
This was pretty much what I expected to be which was a sweet, lovely contemporary book that was a great one to start off my official season of festive reads. The Christmas feels in this book are not strong at all, and Christmas doesn't really play a huge part in it (in fact it ends before Christmas Day) so you can read this book any time of the year.
The writing was strong, and the story was also well-thought out with both Victoria and Oliver being well-structured, fleshed-out characters with backgrounds and hopes, dreams and regrets. There was a bit too much hesitant tip-toeing around each other at times that got frustrating to read but there was a definitely a lovely chemistry between the characters with just enough hint of spice to add in some sexiness as well.
Victoria's infertility is a huge thing in this book for her - and she discusses it a lot, and sometimes in a negative way such as she feels she's not whole or broken in some way, and no man would want to be with her because of it. This could trigger some readers who might be sensitive to the subject. It's also used as a weapon to hurt her on more than one occasion as well which was unpleasant.
I loved Victoria's girl gang in this book, and having checked this is the first book in a four-part series so the other books will follow the other girls. I'm really happy about this as you could tell there was so much more to tell and to come for all Victoria's friends. And I do really enjoy a series that follows different people in a group with their own romances, and lovely cameos of the couples we've already read and matched.
CW: Illness of a parent, infertility discussions.
This book feels a bit like The Wedding Date meets You've Got Mail.
When Victoria meets Oliver, she tells herself not to fall for his handsome face when his family business threatens to ruin the rest of the street. However, soon Oliver proposes a deal - Victoria will pose as his fianceé in front of his family, desperate to see him matched up, and he in turn will help her out on the day of the store's opening by not only inviting the local traders to get involved but also allow her to host a fashion show. Victoria agrees but soon the pair find themselves with all too-real feelings.
This was pretty much what I expected to be which was a sweet, lovely contemporary book that was a great one to start off my official season of festive reads. The Christmas feels in this book are not strong at all, and Christmas doesn't really play a huge part in it (in fact it ends before Christmas Day) so you can read this book any time of the year.
The writing was strong, and the story was also well-thought out with both Victoria and Oliver being well-structured, fleshed-out characters with backgrounds and hopes, dreams and regrets. There was a bit too much hesitant tip-toeing around each other at times that got frustrating to read but there was a definitely a lovely chemistry between the characters with just enough hint of spice to add in some sexiness as well.
Victoria's infertility is a huge thing in this book for her - and she discusses it a lot, and sometimes in a negative way such as she feels she's not whole or broken in some way, and no man would want to be with her because of it. This could trigger some readers who might be sensitive to the subject. It's also used as a weapon to hurt her on more than one occasion as well which was unpleasant.
I loved Victoria's girl gang in this book, and having checked this is the first book in a four-part series so the other books will follow the other girls. I'm really happy about this as you could tell there was so much more to tell and to come for all Victoria's friends. And I do really enjoy a series that follows different people in a group with their own romances, and lovely cameos of the couples we've already read and matched.
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
YT Review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRpUwBw3wuQ
10 years ago, Nessa Crowley was discovered dead in the Kinsella's back garden following a huge party, and a storm. No-one was every charged, though all suspicion pointed heavily at Henry Kinsella. Now a documentary crew has arrived to the Irish island of Inisrún to interview all those involved - including Henry and Keelin Kinsella - and possibly discover who is keeping the most secrets from the night the three Crowley girls became two.
This book is full of intrigue and intensity, with a really great past and present storyline interspersed with interview dialogue between the documentary crew and the locals on the island. The main character of the book is 47-year-old Keelin Kinsella who appears to be a complete stranger compared to the woman who celebrated 37 years on the night Nessa was murdered. Now, Keelin's every move appears to be controlled by her husband - but it's Keelin who asked him to do this in the first place. Her son hides in the bedroom, and her daughter doesn't want to spend any time with her. Yet Keelin is a woman full of kindness and gentleness, with an urge to help others but secrets she must keep hidden away. So she hides herself.
I loved following an older character as I think in the past Louise O'Neill has excelled in writing teenagers and women tackling their mid-twenties. Now, she's proven she can also write an older woman struggling with a myriad of issues that generally younger women don't deal with - family problems, death of parents, narcissistic husbands as well as the failing of the body as it becomes older and creakier, and a propensity to be more round than slender.
I think people who love true crime documentaries and podcasts will really love this book. I believe it was inspired by the West Cork podcast and I can see some of the similarities. This book isn't a 'thriller' in the basic sense of the word but that's not Louise O'Neill's style and this book feels more along the lines of Liz Nugent's crime-writing. It's slower and steadier and builds up the relationships and the complexities of each character in the novel before revealing everything to the reader. I was really impressed in how Louise O'Neill managed the crime aspects of this novel as it's something that I haven't seen her write before and I think she did it perfectly and in a way that wasn't all blood, guts, gore but asks bigger questions like what makes people act the way they do, and react the way they do? How far will people go for the people they love?
I also adored the Irishness in this book. The story is set on an insular Irish island meaning Irish culture -both traditions and language - is hugely important to the population. They don't like blow-in's like the Kinsella's and treat those who fall in with them (like Keelin) with similar suspicion. But the tender moments in this book that showed Keelin and Alex talking Irish to one another was just lovely, and added an extra element to the book for me that I loved a lot.
I can't say I was left 100% satisfied with the answers I got at the end of the novel but Louise O'Neill always ends her books with a slight question mark and a challenge to the readers which I've come to love and expect. At this point it would be weird if she tied it up with a neat bow, and left us with nothing else.
I loved this, and I hope others love it too. I think it's her best yet and really shows the maturity and the strength of Louise O'Neill's writing.
YT Review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRpUwBw3wuQ
10 years ago, Nessa Crowley was discovered dead in the Kinsella's back garden following a huge party, and a storm. No-one was every charged, though all suspicion pointed heavily at Henry Kinsella. Now a documentary crew has arrived to the Irish island of Inisrún to interview all those involved - including Henry and Keelin Kinsella - and possibly discover who is keeping the most secrets from the night the three Crowley girls became two.
This book is full of intrigue and intensity, with a really great past and present storyline interspersed with interview dialogue between the documentary crew and the locals on the island. The main character of the book is 47-year-old Keelin Kinsella who appears to be a complete stranger compared to the woman who celebrated 37 years on the night Nessa was murdered. Now, Keelin's every move appears to be controlled by her husband - but it's Keelin who asked him to do this in the first place. Her son hides in the bedroom, and her daughter doesn't want to spend any time with her. Yet Keelin is a woman full of kindness and gentleness, with an urge to help others but secrets she must keep hidden away. So she hides herself.
I loved following an older character as I think in the past Louise O'Neill has excelled in writing teenagers and women tackling their mid-twenties. Now, she's proven she can also write an older woman struggling with a myriad of issues that generally younger women don't deal with - family problems, death of parents, narcissistic husbands as well as the failing of the body as it becomes older and creakier, and a propensity to be more round than slender.
I think people who love true crime documentaries and podcasts will really love this book. I believe it was inspired by the West Cork podcast and I can see some of the similarities. This book isn't a 'thriller' in the basic sense of the word but that's not Louise O'Neill's style and this book feels more along the lines of Liz Nugent's crime-writing. It's slower and steadier and builds up the relationships and the complexities of each character in the novel before revealing everything to the reader. I was really impressed in how Louise O'Neill managed the crime aspects of this novel as it's something that I haven't seen her write before and I think she did it perfectly and in a way that wasn't all blood, guts, gore but asks bigger questions like what makes people act the way they do, and react the way they do? How far will people go for the people they love?
I also adored the Irishness in this book. The story is set on an insular Irish island meaning Irish culture -both traditions and language - is hugely important to the population. They don't like blow-in's like the Kinsella's and treat those who fall in with them (like Keelin) with similar suspicion. But the tender moments in this book that showed Keelin and Alex talking Irish to one another was just lovely, and added an extra element to the book for me that I loved a lot.
I can't say I was left 100% satisfied with the answers I got at the end of the novel but Louise O'Neill always ends her books with a slight question mark and a challenge to the readers which I've come to love and expect. At this point it would be weird if she tied it up with a neat bow, and left us with nothing else.
I loved this, and I hope others love it too. I think it's her best yet and really shows the maturity and the strength of Louise O'Neill's writing.
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Holly needs to escape her London life, her brother Jack convinces her to stay with him and his family during Christmas on a remote Norwegian island. As soon as Holly lands, she is freezing, tired and is saved from a near-death experience by Tor - the island's 'hermit'. But as Holly learns about life on the island, and Nordic Christmas traditions she gets to know Tor and the man behind the social awkwardness and hairy beard.
A really nice read that not only served up a lovely community and sweet romance but also taught me a lot about Norwegian Christmas traditions and food. OMG THE FOOD! So many yummy descriptions of baked goods and all sorts - as well as the Little Christmas Eve porridge that sounded delicious! I think I would gladly spend Christmas on this island as they would certainly keep me well-fed and happy.
I did find the first couple of chapters of the book a bit clunky to start with but I kept going and eventually the writing and the village really charmed me. I wouldn't say Holly is the most interesting character I've read - she was slightly basic but I still enjoyed the dynamic between her and Tor and their romance.
Tor definitely, to me, came across as slightly autistic but I don't know if this was on purpose by the author or if it was a spotlight on how all Norwegian men behave. Tor was quite socially awkward, wasn't always great with social cues, not mad on physical touching, and definitely had problems identifying humour. He also was very focused and direct in a way I would recognize as traits from some people on the spectrum.
I liked the sweetness between Tor and Holly though it did feel like their relationship went from 50% to 100% at the flip of a switch. There is no steaminess in the book - maybe just a hint of sexiness - but everything is very chaste and fade to black after one kiss which was a tiny bit disappointing.
The best character was definitely Tor's cat Frøy. I'm not a cat person but this book made me want a cat like Frøy.
The best bits of the book were definitely all the Norwegian Christmas traditions, foods and the Christmas market. If you want to learn about how different countries celebrate Christmas, this would be a good book to read.
The ending was slightly lackluster for me but I still enjoyed the book.
When Holly needs to escape her London life, her brother Jack convinces her to stay with him and his family during Christmas on a remote Norwegian island. As soon as Holly lands, she is freezing, tired and is saved from a near-death experience by Tor - the island's 'hermit'. But as Holly learns about life on the island, and Nordic Christmas traditions she gets to know Tor and the man behind the social awkwardness and hairy beard.
A really nice read that not only served up a lovely community and sweet romance but also taught me a lot about Norwegian Christmas traditions and food. OMG THE FOOD! So many yummy descriptions of baked goods and all sorts - as well as the Little Christmas Eve porridge that sounded delicious! I think I would gladly spend Christmas on this island as they would certainly keep me well-fed and happy.
I did find the first couple of chapters of the book a bit clunky to start with but I kept going and eventually the writing and the village really charmed me. I wouldn't say Holly is the most interesting character I've read - she was slightly basic but I still enjoyed the dynamic between her and Tor and their romance.
Tor definitely, to me, came across as slightly autistic but I don't know if this was on purpose by the author or if it was a spotlight on how all Norwegian men behave. Tor was quite socially awkward, wasn't always great with social cues, not mad on physical touching, and definitely had problems identifying humour. He also was very focused and direct in a way I would recognize as traits from some people on the spectrum.
I liked the sweetness between Tor and Holly though it did feel like their relationship went from 50% to 100% at the flip of a switch. There is no steaminess in the book - maybe just a hint of sexiness - but everything is very chaste and fade to black after one kiss which was a tiny bit disappointing.
The best character was definitely Tor's cat Frøy. I'm not a cat person but this book made me want a cat like Frøy.
The best bits of the book were definitely all the Norwegian Christmas traditions, foods and the Christmas market. If you want to learn about how different countries celebrate Christmas, this would be a good book to read.
The ending was slightly lackluster for me but I still enjoyed the book.
Chloe, Lucy and Jules met as 11-year-old girls on family holidays in Maui, and from then on The May Ladies was born. After years of friendship, and traveling the world on various girly holidays, the girls decide to switch up Christmas by swapping households for the season. Chloe stays with Lucy's family in a small English visit - and finds out the boy next door is a famous movie star, while Lucy travels to Colorado and realises that Jules's little brother Will is all grown up. And Jules swaps snow for sand for the land down under, and falls in love with more than just Melbourne.
This is a fun novel with an enjoyable aspect - who wouldn't want to swap Christmases one year and see how other people do it. I loved, in particular, the Colorado Christmas as that's the one I would like the most - snow, cabin, hot chocolate - bliss!
It goes with no saying that if you like the movie The Holiday you would like this book, as it's a similar concept. However, in saying that I do think there were way too many mentions and references to the actual movie in this novel - to the point where the characters were saying which characters they would be in the movie.
While the book was cute and nice, I do think it was a little bit flat because nothing really happened to be honest, and after 50% through I grew really bored of it. Contemporaries are known to have those dramatic moments that make the couple split up, and they get back together at the end but nothing that like happened in this book (so if you hate that trope maybe you would like this one). I actually would have liked a bit of drama to shake things up. All the downs in the book were very small scale and boring, and borderline petty. And all of the love interests were just so gorgeous, and perfect and it felt unbelievable that there wasn't one dud among them. The girls also felt much younger than they were - I kept thinking they were about 25 years old but they were actually 33.
I also was really disappointed that the author did not take the opportunity to have one of these girls be a queer character, and for one of the romances in this book be a Christmassy gay one! I would have loved that.
This is a fun novel with an enjoyable aspect - who wouldn't want to swap Christmases one year and see how other people do it. I loved, in particular, the Colorado Christmas as that's the one I would like the most - snow, cabin, hot chocolate - bliss!
It goes with no saying that if you like the movie The Holiday you would like this book, as it's a similar concept. However, in saying that I do think there were way too many mentions and references to the actual movie in this novel - to the point where the characters were saying which characters they would be in the movie.
While the book was cute and nice, I do think it was a little bit flat because nothing really happened to be honest, and after 50% through I grew really bored of it. Contemporaries are known to have those dramatic moments that make the couple split up, and they get back together at the end but nothing that like happened in this book (so if you hate that trope maybe you would like this one). I actually would have liked a bit of drama to shake things up. All the downs in the book were very small scale and boring, and borderline petty. And all of the love interests were just so gorgeous, and perfect and it felt unbelievable that there wasn't one dud among them. The girls also felt much younger than they were - I kept thinking they were about 25 years old but they were actually 33.
I also was really disappointed that the author did not take the opportunity to have one of these girls be a queer character, and for one of the romances in this book be a Christmassy gay one! I would have loved that.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's 1918 and the Great Flu has come to Dublin, Ireland. Julia is left to run the maternity ward; single-handedly caring for sick mothers and their imminent arrivals. Over the course of a couple of days, Julia forms a deep connection with her charges, and the girl helping her while thinking more broadly about the political landscape of Ireland the plight of women.
CW: Traumatic childbirth, stillbirth.
"This is where every nation draws its first breath. Women have been paying the blood tax since time began."
Wow, this book was so intense, fast-paced and I loved every second of it. I couldn't tear my eyes away even when my entire body was clenched up in imaginary pain in solidarity with the women in the ward.
This book is also such an eye-opener for the amazing work and skill of nurses. Julia does not stop and I have no doubt her work is and has been repeated over and over in every hospital in the world because of amazing nursing staff.
There are some really traumatic parts in this book, and descriptions of medical procedures that had me hissing just imagining them, let alone knowing what kind of pain these women were in. And on top of all of that, they had the flu as well which made things even worse. If you are at all sensitive on epidemic/pandemic descriptions and flu-like symptoms and death due to the Covid-19 crisis, I would be wary of this book until you are better able to handle the content.
The political situation in Ireland at the time of this book was also fascinating - hearing from characters on the ground during the 1916 Rising, and on both sides of the movement. A freedom fighter, and an ordinary nurse who had to nurse civilians injured by the destruction. And in the shadow of WW1 as well when men who fought in it were deemed to be traitors for fighting in the British army.
Bridie's character was so lovely, and the way in both harsh and gentle ways Emma Donoghue unveiled her past and the true horror of institutional homes and Mother & Baby homes was done really well. Anyone not versed in Ireland's horrific history with these homes would have no trouble understanding the cruelty that resided inside of them, and doled out by people who were suppose to be men and women of God.
I loved the f/f relationship in this. The way it blossomed and just erupted into something sweet and lovely, and so tragically brief was achingly gorgeous and heartbreaking all at once.
I loved this book, and Emma Donoghue proves once again I can always count on her for an addictive story, and characters I can fiercely connect with and root for.
It's 1918 and the Great Flu has come to Dublin, Ireland. Julia is left to run the maternity ward; single-handedly caring for sick mothers and their imminent arrivals. Over the course of a couple of days, Julia forms a deep connection with her charges, and the girl helping her while thinking more broadly about the political landscape of Ireland the plight of women.
CW: Traumatic childbirth, stillbirth.
"This is where every nation draws its first breath. Women have been paying the blood tax since time began."
Wow, this book was so intense, fast-paced and I loved every second of it. I couldn't tear my eyes away even when my entire body was clenched up in imaginary pain in solidarity with the women in the ward.
This book is also such an eye-opener for the amazing work and skill of nurses. Julia does not stop and I have no doubt her work is and has been repeated over and over in every hospital in the world because of amazing nursing staff.
There are some really traumatic parts in this book, and descriptions of medical procedures that had me hissing just imagining them, let alone knowing what kind of pain these women were in. And on top of all of that, they had the flu as well which made things even worse. If you are at all sensitive on epidemic/pandemic descriptions and flu-like symptoms and death due to the Covid-19 crisis, I would be wary of this book until you are better able to handle the content.
The political situation in Ireland at the time of this book was also fascinating - hearing from characters on the ground during the 1916 Rising, and on both sides of the movement. A freedom fighter, and an ordinary nurse who had to nurse civilians injured by the destruction. And in the shadow of WW1 as well when men who fought in it were deemed to be traitors for fighting in the British army.
Bridie's character was so lovely, and the way in both harsh and gentle ways Emma Donoghue unveiled her past and the true horror of institutional homes and Mother & Baby homes was done really well. Anyone not versed in Ireland's horrific history with these homes would have no trouble understanding the cruelty that resided inside of them, and doled out by people who were suppose to be men and women of God.
I loved the f/f relationship in this. The way it blossomed and just erupted into something sweet and lovely, and so tragically brief was achingly gorgeous and heartbreaking all at once.
I loved this book, and Emma Donoghue proves once again I can always count on her for an addictive story, and characters I can fiercely connect with and root for.
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Ever since George's mam passed away in a car accident on Christmas Eve, his dad refuses to celebrate Christmas and has become cold and irritable. Three years on, George's days are lacking in colour and a trip to a magical miracle shop might be the key to restoring Hugo's Christmas spirit and crush the Scrooge inside him.
This was a really fun, cute read that I enjoyed a lot, and it's just perfect for the Christmas season. The story is obviously inspired by Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but Catherine Doyle has managed to inject her own ideas and magic into it to make it her own. The Dickens' references in the book are magnificent, and the characters are all either lovable or easy to despise at times. It took me a long time to warm up to George's dad as he was just such a Scrooge!
My only real complaint with this book was I was disappointed this book was set in London, and not in Dublin or another Irish town as the author was Irish. We did have some Irish charm in Grandma Flo but I would have loved it to have been set in Ireland.
This was a really fun, cute read that I enjoyed a lot, and it's just perfect for the Christmas season. The story is obviously inspired by Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but Catherine Doyle has managed to inject her own ideas and magic into it to make it her own. The Dickens' references in the book are magnificent, and the characters are all either lovable or easy to despise at times. It took me a long time to warm up to George's dad as he was just such a Scrooge!
My only real complaint with this book was I was disappointed this book was set in London, and not in Dublin or another Irish town as the author was Irish. We did have some Irish charm in Grandma Flo but I would have loved it to have been set in Ireland.
I received this book on audiobook from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In a sheltered village, the Cabinet Maker's daughter Edith meets a shepherd and instantly falls in love. The two vow to be wed but Edith's father has promised her to The Butcher - an evil man who rules the village in fear. Edith promises that she will marry The Butcher if her shepherd does not return by the time of the first snow. What happens next takes away Edith's voice, but starts to change everything for the village, and in particular its womenfolk.
This book very much feels like a feminist fairytale in a way - not in the actions of the characters in particular but more so the overall message of the story. There were some parts of the story that were really beautifully told, and I did really like some of the imagery of the snow-covered village. I also enjoyed a lot of the storytelling aspects of the tale.
I don't really have anything particularly critical to say about the book other than I think it just wasn't one for me. I didn't really gel with the story, and by 3/4 of the way through I was just really wanting it to be over. I found the story mostly sad overall, and it was a bit depressing continuously hearing all the ways The Butcher had wrecked the lives of so many people. He was a really evil character with zero redeemable qualities.
Just not my cup of tea.
In a sheltered village, the Cabinet Maker's daughter Edith meets a shepherd and instantly falls in love. The two vow to be wed but Edith's father has promised her to The Butcher - an evil man who rules the village in fear. Edith promises that she will marry The Butcher if her shepherd does not return by the time of the first snow. What happens next takes away Edith's voice, but starts to change everything for the village, and in particular its womenfolk.
This book very much feels like a feminist fairytale in a way - not in the actions of the characters in particular but more so the overall message of the story. There were some parts of the story that were really beautifully told, and I did really like some of the imagery of the snow-covered village. I also enjoyed a lot of the storytelling aspects of the tale.
I don't really have anything particularly critical to say about the book other than I think it just wasn't one for me. I didn't really gel with the story, and by 3/4 of the way through I was just really wanting it to be over. I found the story mostly sad overall, and it was a bit depressing continuously hearing all the ways The Butcher had wrecked the lives of so many people. He was a really evil character with zero redeemable qualities.
Just not my cup of tea.
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kate has a wonderful life living back in her childhood home, a stellar career and wonderful friends. The only thing missing is a man to complete the picture. Since her last relationship, Kate's love life has been stale and she allows her friends to convince her to sign up for 'The Twelve Dates of Christmas' - 12 blind dates scattered throughout December. What could go wrong?
"Kate had to admit that her regime of pyjamas, toast and telly by 7:30 every night was not conducive to establishing a satisfying sex life. And as much as she'd like to meet someone, she was a bit too happy in her own company. Kate had become her own best date."
This book is incredibly well-written, and was such a joy to read. It delivered not only some Christmas spirit and beautiful images of a snowy village but also some laugh out loud moments during the first dates, as well as some relatable content because most of us have been on a first date or two and when they go bad, they can go really bad.
I really liked Kate as a character - I loved that she had such a great history and she felt like a really thought-out, fleshed -out character, as did everyone in this book to be honest. I love how she had really had a great life so far - she had been educated, she had travelled the world, and she now had a great job with WFH flexibility and a beautiful home. She was content but also 100% ready for the next chapter in her life - love, marriage and babies. And it was just really nice not to follow a character whose life was a ginormous mess, which can often be the case for a contemporary!
Also side note but I love that it was stated that Kate was a size 14 (UK size) as while this is an average size for women, too often it feels like female characters in contemporaries are a tiny size 8. Kate had some boob and bum and I loved it.
It was 100% obvious from the start where the story was going to go, and at first I wasn't happy but the relationship did eventually charm me, and win me over so by the end I was happy. I was partial to the hot fireman though.
The dates were fun to read about, and one of the only unrealistic things was that they were all so good-looking - and three of them ended up still in love with their exes (a theme in this book). But I love that it was clear Kate could still be sexually attracted to her dates but it didn't necessarily mean a happy ever after.
My favourite thing about this book was the village - it was so wonderful, and honestly, I wish it was real so I could either just live there or spend Christmas there. An idyllic setting with The Pear Tree cafe, the group of Knitting Sex Kittens (I NEED one of their Christmas jumpers pronto) and local farm produce. And not too far from London either - what a dream! I wanted to dive into the pages and plop headfirst into the village of Blexington.
This book would make a fantastic movie, but it's also a fantastic book. I definitely recommend!
Kate has a wonderful life living back in her childhood home, a stellar career and wonderful friends. The only thing missing is a man to complete the picture. Since her last relationship, Kate's love life has been stale and she allows her friends to convince her to sign up for 'The Twelve Dates of Christmas' - 12 blind dates scattered throughout December. What could go wrong?
"Kate had to admit that her regime of pyjamas, toast and telly by 7:30 every night was not conducive to establishing a satisfying sex life. And as much as she'd like to meet someone, she was a bit too happy in her own company. Kate had become her own best date."
This book is incredibly well-written, and was such a joy to read. It delivered not only some Christmas spirit and beautiful images of a snowy village but also some laugh out loud moments during the first dates, as well as some relatable content because most of us have been on a first date or two and when they go bad, they can go really bad.
I really liked Kate as a character - I loved that she had such a great history and she felt like a really thought-out, fleshed -out character, as did everyone in this book to be honest. I love how she had really had a great life so far - she had been educated, she had travelled the world, and she now had a great job with WFH flexibility and a beautiful home. She was content but also 100% ready for the next chapter in her life - love, marriage and babies. And it was just really nice not to follow a character whose life was a ginormous mess, which can often be the case for a contemporary!
Also side note but I love that it was stated that Kate was a size 14 (UK size) as while this is an average size for women, too often it feels like female characters in contemporaries are a tiny size 8. Kate had some boob and bum and I loved it.
It was 100% obvious from the start where the story was going to go, and at first I wasn't happy but the relationship did eventually charm me, and win me over so by the end I was happy. I was partial to the hot fireman though.
The dates were fun to read about, and one of the only unrealistic things was that they were all so good-looking - and three of them ended up still in love with their exes (a theme in this book). But I love that it was clear Kate could still be sexually attracted to her dates but it didn't necessarily mean a happy ever after.
My favourite thing about this book was the village - it was so wonderful, and honestly, I wish it was real so I could either just live there or spend Christmas there. An idyllic setting with The Pear Tree cafe, the group of Knitting Sex Kittens (I NEED one of their Christmas jumpers pronto) and local farm produce. And not too far from London either - what a dream! I wanted to dive into the pages and plop headfirst into the village of Blexington.
This book would make a fantastic movie, but it's also a fantastic book. I definitely recommend!