melenajd's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 Stars
Well, i was left with mixed feelings about this book. The cover and title made me think i would be in for a really festive read and i wasn't! Christmas was hardly mentioned which felt like such a let down. I didn't really like the main character of Georgie very much either, wasn't bothered what happened to her. I much preferred the smaller characters of Sam and Eddie who were both really funny. I found quite a lot of the story was too silly and unbelievable and the whole storyline with her boyfriend Tom was ever so predictable.
This was a quick and easy read and i like the way that Alexandra Brown writes - I'd certainly read another of her books, I just think this story wasn't for me.
Well, i was left with mixed feelings about this book. The cover and title made me think i would be in for a really festive read and i wasn't! Christmas was hardly mentioned which felt like such a let down. I didn't really like the main character of Georgie very much either, wasn't bothered what happened to her. I much preferred the smaller characters of Sam and Eddie who were both really funny. I found quite a lot of the story was too silly and unbelievable and the whole storyline with her boyfriend Tom was ever so predictable.
This was a quick and easy read and i like the way that Alexandra Brown writes - I'd certainly read another of her books, I just think this story wasn't for me.
mazza57's review against another edition
2.0
Its not a bad book and there will be lots of love out there for this one. It has Lots of action, a pacy narrative and love abounds everywhere - its just a bit saccharine for me
melindamoor's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed it more 2nd time round, apart from the Tom-goes-incommunicado business and its explanation, which in this day and age is "totes" ridiculous and unrealistic.
Predictable with a typical chick-lit plot (he love me... wait ... he doesn't, oh.. he does/I am so over him... wait!.. I am not!) but the characters are utterly likeable.
And author Alexandra Brown just really knows how to throw a proper Christmas-read-party. Very irresistible in a guilty-pleasure sort of way.
Take a rather grand, old-fashioned, yet provincial department store in an English seaside town:
add the Christmas shopping season:
mention the characters eating/drinking coffee, hot chocolate and cakes and stuff (so this does not affect my waist size)
make sure there's a happy ending and there you go.
Predictable with a typical chick-lit plot (he love me... wait ... he doesn't, oh.. he does/I am so over him... wait!.. I am not!) but the characters are utterly likeable.
And author Alexandra Brown just really knows how to throw a proper Christmas-read-party. Very irresistible in a guilty-pleasure sort of way.
Take a rather grand, old-fashioned, yet provincial department store in an English seaside town:
add the Christmas shopping season:
mention the characters eating/drinking coffee, hot chocolate and cakes and stuff (so this does not affect my waist size)
make sure there's a happy ending and there you go.
mels_bookreads's review against another edition
5.0
If you've read the first, it's well worth reading this one. Thoroughly enjoyed the whole series.
coyney13's review against another edition
2.0
Did not enjoy this book very much at all. Had high hopes for it but was really disappointed
coyney1825's review against another edition
2.0
Did not enjoy this book very much at all. Had high hopes for it but was really disappointed
lillyalaine36's review against another edition
3.0
So in the spirit of the festive season I decided to delve into the second book in the Carrington's department store series by Alexandra Brown aptly named Christmas at Carrington's. For those who read my blog and reviews avidly you'll know I had a bit of a split opinion on Book 1 in the series but was willing to give it another go with book 2 and I did approach this with the open mind that I promised.
All of the characters are back in Book 2 and we open with Georgie beginning her relationship with hunky owner of Carrington's Tom, Sam her best friend and cafe owner trying for a baby and her other bestie Eddie tentatively beginning his relationship with boyfriend Ciaran. It all descends into chaos as a reality TV crew descends on the store a la Mary Portas and Georgie finds herself the laughing stock of the store. Tom disappears on a glamorous world tour of the major fashion houses and Georgie is left wondering what happened to their relationship.
This second book in the series suffers from some of the old issues of book 1 - a gullible and hugely naive leading character who is occasionally a little too cutesy. The story also is a little too similar to book 1 whereby scheming bimbo comes in and tries to "improve" the store leading to mass understanding between Georgie and her beau. Some of the story is a little implausible especially at the end where everyone and their granny seems to be a minor celeb. Overall It is at points just a bit samey....that said.....it does have something redeeming in it. It still has a great deal of heart. It has a certain feel good factor about it. Some of the relationships are really nicely written and you stick with it for that reason and it makes what would otherwise be an averagely poor book somewhat less average.
I'm in a pickle now though as there is more to come in the series and I'd be disappointed to find another book with cracking potential become another carbon copy of 1 & 2....the characters and relationships have great potential so please Miss Brown don't let us down!
All of the characters are back in Book 2 and we open with Georgie beginning her relationship with hunky owner of Carrington's Tom, Sam her best friend and cafe owner trying for a baby and her other bestie Eddie tentatively beginning his relationship with boyfriend Ciaran. It all descends into chaos as a reality TV crew descends on the store a la Mary Portas and Georgie finds herself the laughing stock of the store. Tom disappears on a glamorous world tour of the major fashion houses and Georgie is left wondering what happened to their relationship.
This second book in the series suffers from some of the old issues of book 1 - a gullible and hugely naive leading character who is occasionally a little too cutesy. The story also is a little too similar to book 1 whereby scheming bimbo comes in and tries to "improve" the store leading to mass understanding between Georgie and her beau. Some of the story is a little implausible especially at the end where everyone and their granny seems to be a minor celeb. Overall It is at points just a bit samey....that said.....it does have something redeeming in it. It still has a great deal of heart. It has a certain feel good factor about it. Some of the relationships are really nicely written and you stick with it for that reason and it makes what would otherwise be an averagely poor book somewhat less average.
I'm in a pickle now though as there is more to come in the series and I'd be disappointed to find another book with cracking potential become another carbon copy of 1 & 2....the characters and relationships have great potential so please Miss Brown don't let us down!
tuxedokitties's review against another edition
3.0
Predictable, repetitive and clichéd. Felt like that author cut and pasted chunks from previous books in the series.
leah_reads's review against another edition
3.0
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
*Thank you, Harper Collins*
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I thought it would be a perfect book to read in the few days before Christmas. However, I wasn't as taken in by it as I'd hoped to have been. It didn't leave me feeling in a particularly festive mood. The only thing that hinted towards Christmas was the fact that Georgie kept referring to all of the Christmas food and offers that she'd bought. I found it to be a quite a bland story which could have gone so much further than it did. The synopsis had me hoping for something a little more dramatic than what actually happened in the book.
Christmas at Carrington's was an entertaining story with a few humorous moments thrown in. I couldn't get myself to care too much about the characters. The events which unfolded were something that you'd expect to see in a chick-flick. Having read one of Lindsey Kelk's books, I was really looking forward to reading more within the genre, but this one left me feeling a little disappointed. There wasn't as much charisma and charm to this book, it all felt a little bland. It wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately. There wasn't anything wrong with the book, it just wasn't for me.
The book features moments of heartache, Bridget Jones-esque behaviour from Georgie and a few laugh-out-loud moments. It's quite a light-hearted and quick read which will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. I did enjoy it, despite it not being my cup of tea.
*Thank you, Harper Collins*
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I thought it would be a perfect book to read in the few days before Christmas. However, I wasn't as taken in by it as I'd hoped to have been. It didn't leave me feeling in a particularly festive mood. The only thing that hinted towards Christmas was the fact that Georgie kept referring to all of the Christmas food and offers that she'd bought. I found it to be a quite a bland story which could have gone so much further than it did. The synopsis had me hoping for something a little more dramatic than what actually happened in the book.
Christmas at Carrington's was an entertaining story with a few humorous moments thrown in. I couldn't get myself to care too much about the characters. The events which unfolded were something that you'd expect to see in a chick-flick. Having read one of Lindsey Kelk's books, I was really looking forward to reading more within the genre, but this one left me feeling a little disappointed. There wasn't as much charisma and charm to this book, it all felt a little bland. It wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately. There wasn't anything wrong with the book, it just wasn't for me.
The book features moments of heartache, Bridget Jones-esque behaviour from Georgie and a few laugh-out-loud moments. It's quite a light-hearted and quick read which will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. I did enjoy it, despite it not being my cup of tea.