cleg11's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Another brilliant book from Heidi.
We return to Wynthorpe Hall. Paige returns to Wynthorpe hall in the run up to Christmas. She is only staying for a short amount of time to find her next path. Whilst on her way from helping out with shopping and deliveries she stumbles upon an isolated cottage and it’s resident Albert. She befriends Albert and finds herself falling back into the village life. She then meets brooding Brodie, can Brodie and Albert persuade to stay in the village or will she keep to her original plan.
Another brilliant book from Heidi.
We return to Wynthorpe Hall. Paige returns to Wynthorpe hall in the run up to Christmas. She is only staying for a short amount of time to find her next path. Whilst on her way from helping out with shopping and deliveries she stumbles upon an isolated cottage and it’s resident Albert. She befriends Albert and finds herself falling back into the village life. She then meets brooding Brodie, can Brodie and Albert persuade to stay in the village or will she keep to her original plan.
paulbutler74's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bookbeccie's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
kitvaria_sarene's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed being back at Wynthorpe Hall, and having another wonderful Christmas time. It was lovely to meet everyone again!
I liked the different backgrounds this time, with a main character just returned from volunteering in a refugee camp. Though even more of a draw for me was Albert, the older gentleman who is way too proud to admit he's struggling. He felt so real to me and i wish I could go visit him. He's definitely my very favourite character in the book!
Yes, things are going way easier and smoothly than they could go, yes the end is very predictable. Does this hurt the story? In my eyes no. Not at all.
While I prefer my Christmas books to have some deeper topics and problems, I still want the book to be mainly hopeful. To be full of friendship and support and a bit of Christmas magic.
The romance is more a side dish than the main course in this installment, which I thought fit the story well.
I liked the different backgrounds this time, with a main character just returned from volunteering in a refugee camp. Though even more of a draw for me was Albert, the older gentleman who is way too proud to admit he's struggling. He felt so real to me and i wish I could go visit him. He's definitely my very favourite character in the book!
Yes, things are going way easier and smoothly than they could go, yes the end is very predictable. Does this hurt the story? In my eyes no. Not at all.
While I prefer my Christmas books to have some deeper topics and problems, I still want the book to be mainly hopeful. To be full of friendship and support and a bit of Christmas magic.
The romance is more a side dish than the main course in this installment, which I thought fit the story well.
weirdfi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
ashleighcarlaa's review against another edition
3.0
This book was set in the beautiful fictional town of Wynthorpe and once again, Wynthorpe hall. It was so great to revisit this place and it meant the book certainly delivered on the warm, cosy, festive feelings i hoped to have this time of year.
However, I have prevously read a few of Swain's books before, and i must admit i wasn't hooked on this book as i had been others. Some of the relationships in the book (Paige and Brodie) just did not feel believable to me, and neither did i want them to be. It felt forced and i am of the opinion the book could have been more enjoyable without forcing a romantic storyline; sometimes it just isnt needed!
*Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for this ARC*
However, I have prevously read a few of Swain's books before, and i must admit i wasn't hooked on this book as i had been others. Some of the relationships in the book (Paige and Brodie) just did not feel believable to me, and neither did i want them to be. It felt forced and i am of the opinion the book could have been more enjoyable without forcing a romantic storyline; sometimes it just isnt needed!
*Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK and Netgalley for this ARC*
nik_knitsplus's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Delightfully predictable. An enjoyable, heartwarming read.
a_ab's review against another edition
1.0
Almost DNF @~80%.
This book started off well enough, but, unfortunately, it didn't know when to stop - it's interminable. It's like the grotesque parody of a pompous actor who refuses to die on stage and keeps coming up with progressively more ridiculous ways to prolong the performance!
The worst part of it is that there's nothing of substance happening in the entire book. There is no development for either the characters or relationships (none of which have any depth to them!). It's just busy bustling about doing chores for almost 500 pages!
I am a fan of low stakes cozy slice-of-life stories, but this was just repetitive tedium upon repetitive tedium ad nauseam.
At around 50% I completely stopped caring and around 80% mark I just couldn't be bothered anymore. I finished it out of sheer stubbornness. Not that it enriched the experience any.
The writing itself (sentence structure and word use wise) wouldn't have been bad if applied to better subject matter, but the author has nothing useful or interesting to say and instead insists that painstaking descriptions of moving boxes around and dropping obnoxious hints for future anticlimactic "reveals" is effective storytelling. Everything is very contrived and needlessly stretched out - misunderstandings, "mysteries" of concealment, internal debates, etc.
Character dialogues seem okay taken out of context scene by scene, but make no sense when you consider those characters as people.
It is supposed to be this inspiring story of kindness and second chances in life and capacity for positive change and all, but instead it felt shallow, fake and disgustingly saccharine.
The romantic line is the most awkward and fake of them all. If's as if it were written by someone who heard of romantic relationships, but had no personal or observational knowledge of them whatsoever.
And seriously, the author must have been paid on the page count basis.
I don't think I'd ever want to subject myself to this author's writing again.
This book started off well enough, but, unfortunately, it didn't know when to stop - it's interminable. It's like the grotesque parody of a pompous actor who refuses to die on stage and keeps coming up with progressively more ridiculous ways to prolong the performance!
The worst part of it is that there's nothing of substance happening in the entire book. There is no development for either the characters or relationships (none of which have any depth to them!). It's just busy bustling about doing chores for almost 500 pages!
I am a fan of low stakes cozy slice-of-life stories, but this was just repetitive tedium upon repetitive tedium ad nauseam.
At around 50% I completely stopped caring and around 80% mark I just couldn't be bothered anymore. I finished it out of sheer stubbornness. Not that it enriched the experience any.
The writing itself (sentence structure and word use wise) wouldn't have been bad if applied to better subject matter, but the author has nothing useful or interesting to say and instead insists that painstaking descriptions of moving boxes around and dropping obnoxious hints for future anticlimactic "reveals" is effective storytelling. Everything is very contrived and needlessly stretched out - misunderstandings, "mysteries" of concealment, internal debates, etc.
Character dialogues seem okay taken out of context scene by scene, but make no sense when you consider those characters as people.
It is supposed to be this inspiring story of kindness and second chances in life and capacity for positive change and all, but instead it felt shallow, fake and disgustingly saccharine.
The romantic line is the most awkward and fake of them all. If's as if it were written by someone who heard of romantic relationships, but had no personal or observational knowledge of them whatsoever.
And seriously, the author must have been paid on the page count basis.
I don't think I'd ever want to subject myself to this author's writing again.
emeliasleight's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
emmalux1991's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0