Book Review: Christmas at Lilac Cottage
4.5 stars for Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin
I was kindly given a copy through Netgalley, with many thanks to the publisher.
Christmas at Lilac Cottage is the perfect winter read. It's everything you need in a Christmassy book and I suggest you make yourself a big cup of hot chocolate when you start reading it.
I have a bit of a love for books created by Holly Martin. She is great at creating characters that you immediately like and this book was no exception.
First we have Penny. She was absolutely brilliant and anyone would love to be her friend, I kind of want to be her friend! She was everything you want your fictional heroine to be like.
And then there's Henry. He's a man filled with strong emotions and I had no trouble at all with imagining how attractive he must be. He was an absolute delight to read about and I loved how protective he was over both Daisy and Penny. He has become my hero throughout this story. He's kind, honest and slightly temperamental.
Last but not least there was Daisy balancing it out perfectly. She was such a light in this story, she became the glue between the characters.
We find ourselves transported in the world of White Cliff Bay, a small town where everyone knows about everyone. A little village where the town thrives of gossip but has such a feeling of unity that they all learned sign language for one member of their town. It's little things like that what made White Cliff Bay such a charming village. If it wasn't fictional, I'd probably be packing my bags now.
Penny is the ice carver in town (a brilliant occupation!) and lives a secluded life, trying to hide away from the town's gossip. When she put up the annex out for rent, Henry and Daisy tumble in her life. Penny feels an immediate attraction to Henry but can she trust him, and allow herself to fall in love with someone again. And what about Daisy? Can she really come between the two of them?
The story of Penny and Henry is filled with humour, love and emotion. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and was sad to leave them once I finished the book.
What made this story even more charming was that it held these little things like the mention of sign language (I have a profound love for it) and the ice carving, etc. They are things you don't come across very often in books, and Holly has a nick for finding these little things that set her books apart from others.
But most of all I found the relationship between them interesting. I really like the kind of pull-push relationships you often find in books, and Penny and Henry has plenty of it. There was a constant palpable romantic tension what made it exciting to read. It made the story interesting.
Holly is incredible at writing stories that read fluent, and this ones flowed so easy that I often wondered if I had skipped a line. But it was just due to the fluent prose and well written story.
I was really sad to leave Polly, Henry, Daisy, and WCB but can't wait to find out more in Holly's second book Snowflakes on Silver Cove* and am hoping for my favourite characters to make a cameo in the upcoming book.
Curious? Read the first chapter here
Welcome to the charming seaside town of White Cliff Bay, where Christmas is magical and love is in the air…
Penny Meadows loves her home – a cosy cottage decorated with pretty twinkling fairy lights and stunning views over the town of White Cliff Bay. She also loves her job as an ice-carver, creating breathtaking sculptures. Yet her personal life seems frozen.
When Henry and daughter Daisy arrive at the cottage to rent the annex, Penny is determined to make them feel welcome. But while Daisy is friendly, Henry seems guarded.
As Penny gets to know Henry, she realises there is more to him than meets the eye. And the connection between them is too strong to ignore…
While the spirit of the season sprinkles its magic over the seaside town and preparations for the ice sculpting competition and Christmas eve ball are in full swing, can Penny melt the ice and allow love in her heart? And will this finally be the perfect Christmas she’s been dreaming of?
Like a creamy hot chocolate with marshmallows, you won’t want to put this deliciously heartwarming novel down.
Spend the perfect Christmas in White Cliff Bay this year. Snowflakes on Silver Cove coming very soon.
Source: goodreads
I was kindly given a copy through Netgalley, with many thanks to the publisher.
Christmas at Lilac Cottage is the perfect winter read. It's everything you need in a Christmassy book and I suggest you make yourself a big cup of hot chocolate when you start reading it.
I have a bit of a love for books created by Holly Martin. She is great at creating characters that you immediately like and this book was no exception.
First we have Penny. She was absolutely brilliant and anyone would love to be her friend, I kind of want to be her friend! She was everything you want your fictional heroine to be like.
And then there's Henry. He's a man filled with strong emotions and I had no trouble at all with imagining how attractive he must be. He was an absolute delight to read about and I loved how protective he was over both Daisy and Penny. He has become my hero throughout this story. He's kind, honest and slightly temperamental.
Last but not least there was Daisy balancing it out perfectly. She was such a light in this story, she became the glue between the characters.
We find ourselves transported in the world of White Cliff Bay, a small town where everyone knows about everyone. A little village where the town thrives of gossip but has such a feeling of unity that they all learned sign language for one member of their town. It's little things like that what made White Cliff Bay such a charming village. If it wasn't fictional, I'd probably be packing my bags now.
Penny is the ice carver in town (a brilliant occupation!) and lives a secluded life, trying to hide away from the town's gossip. When she put up the annex out for rent, Henry and Daisy tumble in her life. Penny feels an immediate attraction to Henry but can she trust him, and allow herself to fall in love with someone again. And what about Daisy? Can she really come between the two of them?
The story of Penny and Henry is filled with humour, love and emotion. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and was sad to leave them once I finished the book.
What made this story even more charming was that it held these little things like the mention of sign language (I have a profound love for it) and the ice carving, etc. They are things you don't come across very often in books, and Holly has a nick for finding these little things that set her books apart from others.
But most of all I found the relationship between them interesting. I really like the kind of pull-push relationships you often find in books, and Penny and Henry has plenty of it. There was a constant palpable romantic tension what made it exciting to read. It made the story interesting.
Holly is incredible at writing stories that read fluent, and this ones flowed so easy that I often wondered if I had skipped a line. But it was just due to the fluent prose and well written story.
I was really sad to leave Polly, Henry, Daisy, and WCB but can't wait to find out more in Holly's second book Snowflakes on Silver Cove* and am hoping for my favourite characters to make a cameo in the upcoming book.
Curious? Read the first chapter here
A beautiful story that had me smiling from ear to ear and made me giggle at times.
*The second book in the White Cliff Bay series, Snowflakes in Silver Cove, is out on October 30.
Libby Joseph is famous for her romantic Christmas stories. Every December, readers devour her books of falling in love against the magical backdrop of the Christmas season. If only Libby believed in the magic herself…
Struggling to finish her current novel, Libby turns to her best friend and neighbour George Donaldson to cheer her up. But George also needs a bit of support himself. Nervous about getting back into the dating saddle after splitting from his wife, he and Libby strike a deal. She will teach George how to win over the ladies, and Libby will in turn be inspired to inject her novel with a good dose of romance.
As Libby and George explore the beautiful White Cliff Bay on a series of romantic Christmas-themed dates, Libby finds herself having more fun than she’s had in ages and…discovers feelings that she never knew she had for George.
But is it too late? Will George win someone else’s heart or can Libby act like the heroine in one of her stories and reach for her own love under the mistletoe this Christmas?
Snuggle up with a piece of Christmas cake and mulled wine, and spend the festive season at White Cliff Bay. You won’t want to leave! Christmas at Lilac Cottage also out now.
Struggling to finish her current novel, Libby turns to her best friend and neighbour George Donaldson to cheer her up. But George also needs a bit of support himself. Nervous about getting back into the dating saddle after splitting from his wife, he and Libby strike a deal. She will teach George how to win over the ladies, and Libby will in turn be inspired to inject her novel with a good dose of romance.
As Libby and George explore the beautiful White Cliff Bay on a series of romantic Christmas-themed dates, Libby finds herself having more fun than she’s had in ages and…discovers feelings that she never knew she had for George.
But is it too late? Will George win someone else’s heart or can Libby act like the heroine in one of her stories and reach for her own love under the mistletoe this Christmas?
Snuggle up with a piece of Christmas cake and mulled wine, and spend the festive season at White Cliff Bay. You won’t want to leave! Christmas at Lilac Cottage also out now.
Source: Goodreads
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