annarella's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this book: it's heartwarming, engaging and entertaining. It's also full of Christmas spirit without being fluffy.
I loved the characters, both human and canine.
The plot was good and I laughed out more than once.
I look forward to reading other books by this writer.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Farrago and Netgalley for this ARC
I loved the characters, both human and canine.
The plot was good and I laughed out more than once.
I look forward to reading other books by this writer.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Farrago and Netgalley for this ARC
thewoollygeek's review against another edition
4.0
A festive, fun read, I have not read anything by the author before but I will be looking out for more now. This is a funny, romantic, cute read, great chemistry and such a heartwarming read. Recommended for a Christmas read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
shahnamarie's review against another edition
1.0
This was my first ever DNF. I couldn’t get into it. I gave up around 40%.
saschadarlington's review against another edition
4.0
If you’re looking for a Christmas romance, this may not be the one for you as Christmas is pretty much an after-thought especially for the heroine, Tansy, who has had a very rough year.
However, this book goes beyond fluff and shows two people who meet at the right point in their lives to help each other and perhaps fall in love.
While Davin is initially shown to be mean-spirited and superficial, it’s a facade to hide his deeper secrets, which he shares with Tansy as their relationship progresses. Likewise, Davin guesses that Tansy has a deeper secret than the one she initially shares, a secret that makes the novel rather poignant.
The supporting characters add a great deal to the novel, especially Mom Karen and her son Rory. Karen has some great one-liners. Even Larch, the supposed self-absorbed actress, is shown to be far more than a pretty face.
After a near-tragedy brings everyone together on Christmas, the novel is indeed heart-warming. There might not be a lot of Christmas, but Karen tinsels everything.
Choose this one if you’re looking for a little more depth and just a shade less cheery in your Christmas story.
And, please, could someone give the scruffy dog a bath?
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
However, this book goes beyond fluff and shows two people who meet at the right point in their lives to help each other and perhaps fall in love.
While Davin is initially shown to be mean-spirited and superficial, it’s a facade to hide his deeper secrets, which he shares with Tansy as their relationship progresses. Likewise, Davin guesses that Tansy has a deeper secret than the one she initially shares, a secret that makes the novel rather poignant.
The supporting characters add a great deal to the novel, especially Mom Karen and her son Rory. Karen has some great one-liners. Even Larch, the supposed self-absorbed actress, is shown to be far more than a pretty face.
After a near-tragedy brings everyone together on Christmas, the novel is indeed heart-warming. There might not be a lot of Christmas, but Karen tinsels everything.
Choose this one if you’re looking for a little more depth and just a shade less cheery in your Christmas story.
And, please, could someone give the scruffy dog a bath?
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
verityw's review against another edition
3.0
****copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review ****
I wanted to like this more than I did. Liked the hero, and liked the heroine too - but I didn’t feel you got to understand her enough until late on. I also didn’t think the resolution did everything it needed to to tie everything up the way that you wanted - I wondered if it was because there was going to be a follow up book, but I can't see one.
I wanted to like this more than I did. Liked the hero, and liked the heroine too - but I didn’t feel you got to understand her enough until late on. I also didn’t think the resolution did everything it needed to to tie everything up the way that you wanted - I wondered if it was because there was going to be a follow up book, but I can't see one.
bananatricky's review against another edition
4.0
Tansy Merriwether has pretty much hit rock bottom, in the last year she has lost her successful cupcake business, her business partner/ lover, her home and her money. Now she's living in a decrepit caravan on a Dorset beach. When she befriends the single mother who runs an isolated cafe nearby she hears about a TV crew which is filing a series in a nearby cove who might need someone to run odd jobs. When Tansy approaches the crew she finds out that she knows the director from when she lived in London. He suggests she could help the crew enormously by scouting for locations for a new series and taking the obnoxious male star with her, he and his female co-star are impossible when working together.
Davin O'Riordan isn't the man the PR people make him out to be, he isn't the man he pretends to be, he has lots of secrets but for some reason he likes Tansy, she's the only woman who doesn't swoon at his feet and who sees more than just a former model turned actor. But can two people learn to trust each other?
If I say that this book contains a sexy Irish actor, a teenage boy with a bottomless stomach, a single mother, Christmas, a vegan actress, a beautiful whippet and a smelly stray dog, and quaint English villages would you be interested? Yes, me too. This was charming, funny and a saccharine-free holiday romance. Maybe if I was being really picky I would have preferred fewer flashbacks to Davin's past (which didn't generally seem to add much) and maybe more to Tansy's past which (to me) still remains somewhat shrouded in mystery.
Overall, if Poldark revs your engine then I think you'll like Davin, he's been described as looking like Chris Hemsworth and Aidan Turner had a baby!
Recommended for fans of Sue Moorcroft.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Davin O'Riordan isn't the man the PR people make him out to be, he isn't the man he pretends to be, he has lots of secrets but for some reason he likes Tansy, she's the only woman who doesn't swoon at his feet and who sees more than just a former model turned actor. But can two people learn to trust each other?
If I say that this book contains a sexy Irish actor, a teenage boy with a bottomless stomach, a single mother, Christmas, a vegan actress, a beautiful whippet and a smelly stray dog, and quaint English villages would you be interested? Yes, me too. This was charming, funny and a saccharine-free holiday romance. Maybe if I was being really picky I would have preferred fewer flashbacks to Davin's past (which didn't generally seem to add much) and maybe more to Tansy's past which (to me) still remains somewhat shrouded in mystery.
Overall, if Poldark revs your engine then I think you'll like Davin, he's been described as looking like Chris Hemsworth and Aidan Turner had a baby!
Recommended for fans of Sue Moorcroft.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
carrie_a_t's review against another edition
1.0
DNF
I couldn’t get passed the first chapter. Far too much description for my liking.
I couldn’t get passed the first chapter. Far too much description for my liking.
kitara43's review against another edition
3.0
I thought I would get a light-hearted Christmas romance based on the teaser and the cover. That was not the case.
The writing was too descriptive and it just didn’t end up flowing. It was really hard to get into the book when the author used big words to describe everything. It was also pretty repetitive.
Tansy and Davin didn’t do anything for me either. I can understand your struggles in life affecting your relationships and whatnot, but I think it was too much in this story. The dogs were cute though.
The writing was too descriptive and it just didn’t end up flowing. It was really hard to get into the book when the author used big words to describe everything. It was also pretty repetitive.
Tansy and Davin didn’t do anything for me either. I can understand your struggles in life affecting your relationships and whatnot, but I think it was too much in this story. The dogs were cute though.
blithesquesttoread's review against another edition
5.0
ARC provided by the publisher, Duckworth Books, in exchange for an honest review.
How could I not give it five stars??
To start with, it was amazing. I was a bit confused in the beginning, as in what the hell is happening, but that was probably because I didn’t remember the blurb properly. But after sorting things out, it all made sense.
No to begin with cover, it is splendid! I mean just look at it, pause, and then think that it’s going to be an amazing read. Moving on to the title, well, there were plenty of secrets in here. I mean there were parts that were hidden up till the end and that too very beautifully. The love and the tragic that has been brought in here doesn’t appear to be an act, it gels well with the plot and the whole background of the story.
And how about you now? There’s more to you than meets the eye, Tansy Merriwether. You’ve lost something. I can see it in the way you move; the way you keep the world out.’
I was really glad that the suspense was maintained at least for more than half of the story. It didn’t appear as if the author had to do much work in progressing the story and it was being dragged. It appeared to be a natural.
Moving on to the characters, I don’t think there was anyone in here, well apart from one or two but I guess that’s kind of like a mandate (no fun if there isn’t one character that appears to be a stupid, idiot and blubbering mess), that I didn’t like. There were moments wherein I was annoyed by some of the characters but otherwise they were gems. I kind of appreciate that because it was like more than meets the eye, and at the same time being realistic.
At this point, I honestly don’t know what I am writing considering I don’t have much time, but it was a beautiful, emotional, sensitive and humorous read. Did I mention dogs? No? Then definitely sweet as well as cute!
Its paws churned the sand into gobbets which rained down around the retreating shape so it vanished in a shingly backwash as it bore down on the slender figure of the whippet at the waves’ edge, like Dennis the Menace in hot pursuit of a paddling Claudia Schiffer.
How could I not give it five stars??
To start with, it was amazing. I was a bit confused in the beginning, as in what the hell is happening, but that was probably because I didn’t remember the blurb properly. But after sorting things out, it all made sense.
No to begin with cover, it is splendid! I mean just look at it, pause, and then think that it’s going to be an amazing read. Moving on to the title, well, there were plenty of secrets in here. I mean there were parts that were hidden up till the end and that too very beautifully. The love and the tragic that has been brought in here doesn’t appear to be an act, it gels well with the plot and the whole background of the story.
And how about you now? There’s more to you than meets the eye, Tansy Merriwether. You’ve lost something. I can see it in the way you move; the way you keep the world out.’
I was really glad that the suspense was maintained at least for more than half of the story. It didn’t appear as if the author had to do much work in progressing the story and it was being dragged. It appeared to be a natural.
Moving on to the characters, I don’t think there was anyone in here, well apart from one or two but I guess that’s kind of like a mandate (no fun if there isn’t one character that appears to be a stupid, idiot and blubbering mess), that I didn’t like. There were moments wherein I was annoyed by some of the characters but otherwise they were gems. I kind of appreciate that because it was like more than meets the eye, and at the same time being realistic.
At this point, I honestly don’t know what I am writing considering I don’t have much time, but it was a beautiful, emotional, sensitive and humorous read. Did I mention dogs? No? Then definitely sweet as well as cute!
Its paws churned the sand into gobbets which rained down around the retreating shape so it vanished in a shingly backwash as it bore down on the slender figure of the whippet at the waves’ edge, like Dennis the Menace in hot pursuit of a paddling Claudia Schiffer.
missali's review
2.0
Thank you so much to Farrago and Netgalley for the eARC of this book!
This story was cute, but just not the story for me. I found myself getting lost a couple of times, and finding myself backtracking here and there.
This story was cute, but just not the story for me. I found myself getting lost a couple of times, and finding myself backtracking here and there.