Tizi’s Book Review

When a dedicated and Christmas – loving real estate agent meets The Grinch…

Synopsis

When Christmas-hating Sam moves to Holly Cross, he thinks he’s found the perfect home, until he discovers that, each year, Holly Cross transforms into the most Christmassy village in the whole country…

Blythe is just one sale away from being Real Estate Agent of the Month, so she twists the truth to sell a home to city boy Sam, who is looking for the perfect house in the perfect location. Little does he know he’s just bought a cottage in the middle of the most Christmassy village in the country. And if there’s one thing Sam loathes, it’s Christmas.

Sam’s arrival puts Holly Cross’s chance to win the title of Britain’s Most Perfect Christmas Village now in jeopardy, and the villagers are soon up in arms. Meanwhile, Sam is in his own personal hell surrounded by fairy lights and everyone is looking to Blythe to fix things.

But as the festive season looms, maybe there’s more than just Christmas in Holly Cross for Sam to fall in love with…

My review

Blythe is on a streak as she has been several months in a row Real Estate Agent of the Month. But when one of her colleagues has made one more sell than her, Blythe does whatever she can to beat him. Even if that means to omit a few details while selling a cottage to city boy Sam. Because what Sam doesn’t know when putting an offer on the place, is that he will be buying a house in the most Christmassy village. And if there is one thing Sam truly hates, it’s for sure Christmas.
But Holly Cross has entered the competition to win the title of Britain’s Most Perfect Christmas Village, and Sam’s new home has always been the centre of it. Sam now has the whole village against him, while everyone, Blythe included, is also trying to persuade him to take part of the festivities. And everyone is putting their trust in Blythe, to fix things. Yet Blythe knows she was in the wrong by not telling Sam the truth about Holly Cross, and she knows that Sam only has so many buttons she can push, and many has been already pushed.
The closer Christmas comes, the lesser it seems possible that Blythe will succeed in her mission. But the more she gets to know Sam, the more she starts to understand him and the more her initial dislike disappears… 

Bella Osborne is one of those authors you know always deliver. Once again I found myself drawn into this wonderful story, where Christmas is the theme that builds the whole story. 

Yet honesty also forces me to tell, even if I adore this author, at the start of the book, I didn’t completely liked Blythe.
I’m not saying that she was a bad person, but I saw her as the kind of person that didn’t like to be defeated and would go lengths to find a way to become victorious in the end after all.
And so she finds herself selling a house to Sam, that isn’t exactly according the rules, and she omits to tell Sam that Holly Cross is completely into Christmas. Now, it could be a detail, but not when she knows how much Sam hates that holiday.
That made me see Blythe a bit a selfish woman, only thinking about her own goals and not thinking about her buyers. 

But I also have to say, before you think truly bad about Blythe, slowly she shows her real character, and while her actions perhaps aren’t showing it, knowing the true reasons behind it, made me understand her and like her. 

Sam couldn’t be more different from Blythe. While Blythe just loves being part of Holly Cross’ community, Sam prefers to be left on his own, minding his own business and not having to take anything or anyone in account. Even the presence of Turpin The Cat is too much for him.
He for sure shows all the signs of being a real Grinch, but also in his case, once knowing his background, can you really blame him hating Christmas so much?
And having a whole community pushing and pressuring him, isn’t truly helping him, is it? 

Of course Blythe and Sam find themselves faced with drawn swords, as Blythe wants Sam to participate to all the preparations, and Sam is adamant to do anything but.
Yet the more time they are spending together, thanks (or ‘thanks’…) to Turpin too, Blythe starts to understand Sam. Knowing where he comes from, having had so many disappointments over Christmas, Blythe understands that Sam doesn’t need to be pressured into doing something he doesn’t want.
But Blythe also knows that she has to show Sam that Christmas can be indeed the most wonderful time of the year.  

And Blythe also understands that while Sam doesn’t want to be part of the whole shebang, Sam can be still part of the community with other activities. 

Seeing Sam ‘melting’ was sweet to see in a way. Obviously his dislike for Christmas doesn’t disappear overnight, but he sees how a whole community works together, how there are so many different activities organised he can also participate to.  

The community of Holly Cross for sure seems a wonderful community. Although I have to say, that even for my liking they were waaaaaay too much into Christmas! 😊
And I felt that they should cut Sam some slack. Just like Blythe is understanding, Sam isn’t obligated to take part into all of it, it is his free choice to or not to. 

But I found it funny on the other hand, seeing how somehow ways were found to the community get their own way! And the idea Blythe thought of, couldn’t be more apt, seeing Sam’s reluctance towards everything involving Christmas! 

While the focus is definitely on Blythe and Sam, and their clashing and later on growing closer, we also see the dynamics of families. In Blythe’s case we see a family where nurture beats nature, but also that blood is thicker than water, no matter how much someone disappoints us.
We also see that a mistake made in the past can get a second chance for a happy end, and that people can always keep on surprising us in the best ways, showing once again the great and kind hearts of people. 

This was a wonderful festive read, with the main characters clash at first, but slowly come to an understanding, and where the past can be not erased, but replaced by new lovely memories. And that even the greatest clash can turn into something beautiful, as long as we are prepared to listen and even forgive for made mistakes.

When an escape from everything makes you find everything

Synopsis

When soap actor Sabrina Swift loses her way due to a public scandal, she packs up her life, heads to Cornwall and randomly finds herself running a Christmas gift shop in the quaint and quirky Ferry Lane Market.

Changing her looks and identity to keep her anonymity, the newcomer starts to make friends and enemies as she walks a frosty path in the established community.

And as rumours start circling that the outside market is going to be shut down, Sabrina is not only ensconced in an unexpected love triangle but is also faced with a difficult decision that could alter both her life and those of the inhabitants of Hartmouth forever.

Charming characters and a beautifully written setting make for a delightful and uplifting tale that explores themes of self-discovery, belonging and the importance of following your heart.

My review

Soap actor Sabrina Swift never expected to head to Cornwall on her own after a scandal. Wishing to keep her anonymity, she changes her looks. Yet she now has a place where she can be Jilly, instead of Sabrina the actor.
And with not being in spotlights, Sabrina starts to make friend who like the real Sabrina and support her on opening a gift shop in the famous Ferry Lane Market.
Sabrina now has the chance to figure out herself who she is, what makes her happy and where her heart truly lays.
But there are several dark clouds hanging over Sabrina and the place that starts to feel like home. And now Sabrina has to decide which path to follow not only for her own sake but for the sake of the lovely people of Ferry Lane Market.

What a delight to return to Ferry Lane Market! And while I thought I couldn’t fall even more with the place or the characters, Nicola May proved me wrong once again!

I have to say, for several reasons I felt so sorry for Sabrina. Firstly at her own wedding she makes a terrible discovery, as the man she was supposed to be getting married to, betrayed her.
And being chased by the press for sure turned a terrible day into an even worse one.
But it’s not only that… because it’s clear that, even if Sabrina is a famous soap opera actor, she is at loss somehow. She doesn’t know what she truly wants or who she truly is.

Of course she needs to find a place to hide, to process everything that has happened, and more important to think about herself and her future. And is there a better place, a welcoming place like Ferry Lane Market?

It was so heart – warming to see how Sabrina was welcomed with open arms, how our old friends showed once again how wonderful they were. Even to complete strangers like Sabrina, they show how helpful, nice and kind they all are.
And on a funnier level, even the way they went along with her little white lies! But that shows also that they understand Sabrina’s need to protect herself.

While reading, I began to understand that this is mainly a book about self – discovery, even about making mistakes, but also about finding out what you truly need and want from life.
Because Sabrina makes a few errors during her stay, even misjudging some characters. But even if I saw it from miles coming what the outcome would be, I could comprehend Sabrina’s “need” for it.

As a bystanders obviously it’s easy to say what Sabrina should do: tell her ex – fiancé to bugger off, take a chance on her romantic interest and stay at Ferry Lane Market. But from afar it’s always easy… love doesn’t disappear in the blink of an eye, no matter how much you are hurt.
And hurt and fear also don’t just go away, even if the right person appears. It can be a long journey to not only overcome those feelings, but it’s also a long journey to understand who you truly are and what you truly desire.

In that view, seeing Sabrina going through all those different phases, but also seeing how she starts to feel at home at Ferry Lane Market. She cares so much about the place and the whole community that she goes lengths to protect it anyway she can.

I loved returning to Ferry Lane Market, adored seeing old friends again and discovering how they were doing (some more surprising than others! ☺️) but most of all, I absolutely enjoyed reading about how one terrible, devastating event can be the catalyst of (finally) discovering who you truly are and finding out what truly makes you happy and chase that dream. It may be perhaps a long and difficult journey to get there, but nevertheless the final destination will be worth of the journey, especially with wonderful people by your side!

When art brings love on your path, but what if it all starts with a lie?

Synopsis

He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.

Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him.

The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.

I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.

Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across.

He offers to buy me a drink–we’re definitely flirting–and then he asks me what I do.

Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.

I have no choice but to say I’m an artist. I can tell Hot Guy later that I’m not.

But then he says he hates lawyers.

Now what?

Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.

And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me. After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.

She makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.

Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.

All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?

*The romcom books in this series are interconnected standalones set in the same world. Each can be read as a pure standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after.

My review

Tessa is very dedicated to her job as a lawyer. Unfortunately, her dedication came at the cost of her relationship with Wyatt, who only saw her as a workaholic.
At an art gallery, Tessa is pretending to be a struggling artist, trying to turn the attention of a scammer on her.
And looking at her worst, she meets Zeke. The attraction is immediate! If only Tessa didn’t discover that there is one thing that Zeke truly hates, and that is lawyers…
With the scammer nearby, how can Tessa tell Zeke the truth? But the more Tessa is keeping the truth from Zeke, the harder it gets. Especially as Zeke still finds it difficult to trust people, as his ex – girlfriend cheated on him…
But with Tessa feels everything so right, even if she is the worst artist Zeke ever met. So perhaps Zeke is ready to give a second chance. But what when the truth comes out?

There are stories that you want to read even if the characters couldn’t be further away from your own life.
Both Tessa and Zeke have stressful jobs, and jobs that I have no idea how exactly everything works, beside from what I read in books or see on TV.

I truly liked Tessa. Not only is she a very loyal and even committed friend, but she also wants to do good in the world, to make a difference for those who need any (legal) help or whatsoever.
There isn’t literally a thing she wouldn’t do to help, even if that means to pretend to be an artist, while she hasn’t an artistic bone in her body.
And her sense of right of wrong was truly admirable, and her reasons for becoming a lawyer only made me like her even more!

We also see a vulnerability in her. She has been burnt by love before, and that has made her very wary of a new chance at love.
Yet she finds that special connection with Zeke and that was truly lovely to see! But finding love, or finding that connection with someone isn’t enough for her to stop from doing what she believes to do is the right thing. Falling in love with Zeke won’t stop her from doing her job, or trying to lure the scammer.

And she knows that not telling Zeke the truth of what her job is, is the wrong thing to do. But I could understand her, as each time she found the courage, something happened turning the perfect moment in the most imperfect moment.
I could understand how difficult it was for Tessa, but I could also comprehend Zeke, as the truth and honesty is very important to him.

In a way I understood why Zeke was so against lawyers, but on the other hand, it was also rather unfair of him, to see all lawyers in the same negative light. It’s not because your ex, who was a lawyer, did betray you, that everyone is like that.
But like I said, I could understand his general mistrust, as he truly believed that it was endgame with his girlfriend, only to end up heartbroken.
And reading about his past, and how it hurt him and still affects him, made me want to give him a hug and tell him that everything would be okay.

Zeke is also the kind of guy who wants to do things the right way, or no way. Even at his job, when he notices something strange, he wants to figure out the truth, even if it may turn out in his disadvantage.

There were moments in this book that truly swept me away, like the painting that Tessa and Zeke created together, or their biking together. Those bits for sure made me believe that both Tessa and Zeke would be able to put their negative thoughts aside and quickly believe and trust in love again.
But, and even if it was sometimes frustrating, there were also moments where doubts take the overhand, or even the presence of those that hurt our main characters the most.

And it’s those switches that perhaps prolonged the story, having twist after twist. Yet it was also mandatory… even if we read a book where we want that happily ever after, here we see the reality.
Because trust doesn’t just grow overnight, and wariness doesn’t disappear into thin air after just meeting someone that we may like.
For some it may be easy to put it all behind them, but I think it’s fair to say that for most of us, it takes time, patience and courage to allow love back in our lives. It’s a matter of trial and error, there will be misunderstandings, but nothing ventured is nothing gained…

This was a lovely story to read, how two people find each other in an unexpected way. But with their pasts, they have to find the courage to take that dive.
Perhaps a more fitting title would have been ‘Love Is An Artwork’, as love for sure is an art, as it is something beautiful and wonderful. But love is also work, as it’s to learn to give and take, talk and listen, and not jumping into conclusions as it will only give unnecessary understandings.
I truly enjoyed reading this book, as it shows all the aspects of love, how easy it can be, but also how difficult it can be…

Check out this amazing cover!

Synopsis

A festive, coming-of-age tale about an Oxbridge candidate and a young homeless man who find themselves in the bittersweet predicament of falling in love with exactly the right person at exactly the wrong time. 

Well-to-do Jed never imagined he’d end up homeless, but family circumstances have made it his only option. Local vicar, Ben, tries to help him but there’s an element of self-punishment to the homelessness that makes Jed continue to put up with his situation – until disaster leads him to re-consider the vicar’s offer of a place to stay. 

Hattie is on the cusp of adulthood, frantically trying to persuade her mum that she doesn’t want to attend an elite university, preferring the idea of pursuing her love of art and textiles. When she meets Jed, she badly wants to understand his circumstances and why, when she has everything at her fingertips, he doesn’t. 

Hattie’s mum, Christine, has had a hard life and is desperate for more for her only child. When she meets Ben, the vicar who’s trying to help Jed, she finds an unlikely ally, and the two heartbroken souls find themselves drawn to each other. Until they find their relationship suddenly tested to the limit. 

One thing’s for certain: none of these characters is looking forward to Christmas. It’s the worst time of year for each of them, for different reasons. But perhaps this year, the festive season could defy all expectations.

Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.

Pre-order Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-at-Cabin-Rebecca-Boxall-ebook/dp/B0CHCFH82M/
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-at-Cabin-Rebecca-Boxall-ebook/dp/B0CHCFH82M/

Publication Date: 24th November 2023

About the author

Rebecca Boxall was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up in a bustling vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her family and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before she trained as a lawyer and more recently worked at a psychiatric unit.

She is the No. 1 bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage and Christmas on the Coast as well as the bestselling writer of Home for Winter, The Christmas Forestand Christmas by the Lighthouse, in respect of which she was nominated for the Romantic Novel Awards in 2020. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.

The cover

And I for sure am intrigued by this book!

Synopsis

Apennine Mountains, Italy, 1965

Leonora Bacchetti was once a happy child. But at the age of seventeen she has become a wild and rebellious young woman who leaves her parents in despair when she runs away from home with a group of itinerant travellers.

In the eyes of their friends and neighbours in the tight-knit village of Montacciolo, her parents’ good name is ruined.

At first, Leonora keeps in touch with her mother and father, sending letters and postcards from different countries until, very abruptly, her correspondence stops. The girl has vanished.

Vague, unreliable rumours of her fate abound, but newspaper appeals, police and private investigations reveal nothing.

Until, eighteen years later, in the midst of a snowstorm, a stranger from Sardinia knocks on the door of Leonora’s father’s little mountain house.

Now a widower, he has come to terms with never knowing what happened to his daughter. But everything changes when the unexpected visitor claims that he has new information.

The two men quickly bond and gradually begin to piece together the truth about Lenora, provoking deep questions about her life and how they have lived their own – questions about love, loyalty, honesty and what being a family really means.

The Sardinian Story is a novel of exquisite power and deep emotion which will live long in the memories of its readers.

Guest Post

In October 2021 I made the decision to leave the security of my life, job and home in England and to move to Italy, the country of my birth, to write full time. To some it seemed a rash decision, but it was not made lightly. I thought about it for a whole day, and by the end of that week, most of my possessions were packed and anything which was surplus to requirement was listed on Gumtree. Within a month, my husband and I were on the road to Italy and driving towards a new adventure and a new way of life – fingers crossed it would all work out! 

The house we were moving to was built by my great grandfather. It was a house I had known during my childhood and the very place which had provided the backdrop of the PARADISO novels. What better place could there be to continue writing the series, surrounded by the Lombardy landscape, the people, the local stories and legends? I sat at my desk, steeped in inspiration, and let the creativity flow. 

Did I look out of my window and describe the rich,agricultural Lombardy Plain, with its endless fields and vast, dramatic skies? Did I turn my new friends and neighbours into characters for the next PARADISO novel? Well, yes…in part. I did indeed throw myself into the third book of the series, DAUGHTER OF PARADISO, but half way through my creative attention was distracted and at greater speed than I thought possible, I wrote a novel set in the Apennine Mountains and Sardinia about the disappearance of a girl.  

The process of writing THE SARDINIAN STORY was not in any way planned, and this was a wholly new experience for me. My previous books had been organised, with plots and timelines set out on spreadsheets. There was no such preparation for THE SARDINIAN STORY. All I had was the germ of an idea in my mind and an obsessive compulsion to write about it. The characters were born on the page as the story developed. Even naming them was a serendipitous process. As I was trying to find a name for one particular character, from outside I heard a neighbour call for his dog, Dante; thus one of the book’s protagonists was christened ‘Dante’. Every day, words poured out of me and new chapterstook shape. I had no idea exactly how the story would conclude. I just kept writing, trusting that it would find its way.

The first eighty percent of the book was written in eight weeks. My working day began the moment the first cup of coffee kicked in, and I would hammer away at the keyboard for hours, until my brain was scrambled and my eyes were aflame. I never wanted that creative high to end. Everything else became secondary. The house was a mess. The garden was a wilderness. My husband was showing signs of neglect. But all that could be remedied in good time. I just had to keep writing. 

Bringing THE SARDINIAN STORY to a satisfactory conclusion was the first problem I encountered, not because of a lack of ideas, more owing to a glut of them, but finally, after almost five months of writing and editing, the book was complete. 

Whilst I was in the midst of my writing frenzy, it did not cross my mind that there were parallels between the spur of the moment decision to change life, profession and country and the creation of THE SARDINIAN STORY. In both cases, caution was thrown to the wind and I tore headlong into what felt right. Fingers crossed it will all work out.

It’s never too early in the year to do some promo of a Christmas story!

Synopsis

Alisha Jones, or Princess Christmas as she is affectionately known, is joint heir to her Grandpa Frost’s family fortune, but being third behind an older sister and brother means she has to work three times as hard to prove herself.

Marsha Underwood, her Grandpa’s PA and ever-present thorn in her side, is determined to undermine her at every turn and Alisha finds herself powerless to prevent this.

An encounter with a fortune teller at the Frost Christmas Ball leads to a bewildering dream of the future; and the added complication of Tom Walker, the son of Frost’s new business partner leads to a tumultuous year.

With her friends by her side, will she be able to turn things around? And what exactly does the strange dream mean?

A story of family, friendship and love at first sight with a sprinkle of Christmas magic.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.eu/d/fpTksgE

Best friends (with benefits) would do anything for each other…

Synopsis

A high-flying investor

New Yorker Jake Harrington loves a lot of things about living in London: his lucrative hedge fund job, the way British women melt at the sound of an American accent, being thousands of miles away from the girl who betrayed him. And, oh yes, his just-sex arrangement with his gorgeous roommate, Jess.

His sexy British flatmate

Jess’s deal with Jake suits her fine. No commitments, no risk of being hurt again, just fun and friendship. And friends do each other favors, like agreeing to go on a trip to New York where Jake will have to face his past.

And a vacation that will change everything…

What friends shouldn’t do? Suddenly find themselves feeling something much more complicated than simple lust. When “no strings” is no longer enough, will Jake be willing to take the ultimate gamble?

My review

Jake and Jess are best friends. Best friends with benefits. Jake for sure enjoys his life in London, even if that means that he is far away from his home and family in New York. His hedge fund job made him successful, and the British women for sure love his American accent.
And he knows he can always count on Jess, from rescuing from exactly those women who don’t get the message, to their arrangement. But Jess is also there when Jake truly needs his best friend the most. Even if that means to go to a trip to New York with Jake, where he has to face the girl who betrayed him years ago.
Jess counts her blessings to have a friend like Jake, as she has someone to rely on. And their arrangement suits her perfectly, as that means no commitments or risks of getting hurt ever again. Jess needs Jake in her life, just as friends. But is it really just as friends that they see each other?  

The start of this book threw me a bit off. We see how a young Jake is best friends with Emily and how he, even at his young age, is being a knight in shining armour.
But I didn’t understand at first why we having this bit of information, as I thought it would be a story centred around Jake and Jess, and their relationship. 

Yet it was a necessity, to understand how Jake has been affected by how he has been betrayed by Emily, or at least how he saw it and still feels it. 

Years have passed, and I found it great for Jake that he has someone else as a best friend in his life. Obviously his bond with Jess wasn’t built overnight, but it was lovely to see how these two broken characters have found each other. 

Yes, they may have a arrangement that perhaps I don’t fully understand or agree, but if it works for them, who am I to judge them? Especially to see that beside that specific arrangement, they truly are best friends, they are always there for each other.
They understand each other even with just one look, and they would walk on water for each other. 

I understood the sense of betrayal Jake felt years ago. And while partly he was also to blame, as not making an effort sooner, or taking Emily for granted, I felt the sense of betrayal. And I comprehended how difficult it is for Jake to see the woman again that not only broke his heart, but also was his best friend.
So when Jake goes back for a visit to New York, and seeing Emily is inevitable, of course he needs his best friend by his side.
And Jess, being the best friend she is, how can she refuse? Especially if she can fulfil a dream she once hoped to fulfil with her father. 

Jess’ story for sure broke my heart. She truly felt alone for so long, and seeing how love could hurt and even break people, made her afraid for giving in to that feeling. I could see how nobody truly could understand her pain, even if attempts were made, only to end up in heart – break for Jess again. 

Of course, everyone in New York could see just like us how things truly are between Jake and Jess, even if those two aren’t aware of it themselves.
It’s clear that yes, they are best of friends, but their care and love for each other goes much deeper than just friendship. 

We see glimpses of protectiveness, even jealousy, making it crystal-clear how deep they truly care each other. 

But this isn’t just a story about two people taking their arrangement further, but mainly about two people that have been hurt by love and are afraid to admit those feelings back into their hearts.
It’s also about a story about the depth of feelings, and not understanding them. Because the feelings shown are clearly deeper than Jake and Jess understand.
So that makes this a story about already having the deepest of feelings but not seeing them for what they are. And how fear can blind it even furthermore.
And it makes this also a story about finding the courage to admit those feelings, and find the courage to put your trust and heart in the hands of someone else. And who else better than your best friend to give them too? 

I once again enjoyed reading a story from this author, who just keeps amazing me with great books, taking love over oceans, and showing its strength!