christmas book | Suzanne Rogerson Author

I’m excited to be on the blog tour for This Christmas in Paris by Sophie Claire.

Blurb

What could be more magical than Christmas in Paris?

When Carys is offered the chance to run a little French café, she leaps at the chance to discover an exciting city where she can dream big.

Meanwhile, struggling journalist Mat is living in the City of Love – but he’s never found romance himself.

Then, a chance encounter changes everything, and it feels like the start of something wonderful. But Carys and Mat are both keeping secrets . . .

Can they open their hearts to one another – and maybe even find love, just in time for Christmas?

My review

I was drawn into the story from the first page and didn’t want to put the book down.

I liked first meeting Carys in Willowbrook, her small hometown with a tight-knit community. It’s quickly clear why she feels she must escape to find herself. She jumps in at the deep end and takes a job in Paris running the Red Cat Café while the owners have a family emergency. She might not be qualified but she does a great job of it, until a bad review knocks her confidence.

Away from the café, Carys meets Mat and forms an instant connection with him. They know nothing of each others lives, but over the course of a few months they regularly meet and begin to fall in love. But there are secrets between them, which could get in the way of a relationship.

I have to admit there were several times I wanted to stop reading and beg the characters to make different choices. However, I ended up reading on avidly to see the twists and turns in their relationship play out.

I loved all the scenes in the café as Carys does her best to increase custom and challenges the chef to be more experimental. The food descriptions are mouth-watering, but I especially loved the evening talent shows she organises and the mix of customers we meet along the way.

Carys and Mat are great leading characters and deserve to find happiness. You’ll have to read it for yourself to see if they do find love together, or if the secrets tear them apart.

Note – I love the added extras at the end of the book, especially the recipe for ‘Cake aux Olives’ which I hope to try making very soon.

Don’t forget to check out the other reviewers taking part in the tour.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC copy and to the author for writing another brilliant festive read. FYI – this is my honest review.

This is another great, feel good story from Jo Thomas.

The Blurb

Chloe can’t wait for Christmas . . . to be over! Her son Ruben is staying with his dad and Chloe is planning to ignore the holidays altogether. Her only festive touch is her son’s advent calendar, to help count down the days till he’s home again.

But a surprise call changes everything. Chloe might be the unexpected owner of some land in Canada! Surely, it’s a scam. Or could it be just the escape she needs right now? Ruben’s latest note in the advent calendar tells her to ‘say yes!’

In a flash, Chloe’s new countdown to Christmas involves a log cabin in the middle of a snowy forest, a community that’s worried for its future, a gruff lumberjack who gives her butterflies and a lot of pancakes with maple syrup . . .

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My Review

I loved the characters, the setting and the premise of counting down to Christmas via an advent calendar Chloe’s son made to help her get through the period without him. Although Ruben isn’t in the book that much, her 12-year-old son has a great impact on the story and I’m sure the readers.

As usual, food plays a main role (everything with maple syrup) and I learned something new about another part of the world and profession – tapping trees. The supporting cast were great, especially Bea at the diner and Theo as the rugged hero of the story. But I also loved the rogue turkey always chasing Chloe around.

I loved every minute of this book. I’m so pleased with the ending as well, wish I could say more but I don’t want to have spoilers in this review!

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for my ARC copy.

I hope you enjoy this festive book as much as I did. Let me know if you’ve read it, or if you plan to read it this season.

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