So read ‘Christmas at Hope Cottage’ in a few hours on n off, best Crimbo book read so far, and its very gender neutral ( re yesterdays comment about it being in Woman’s Fiction) see review below.... next up a book out today ‘Murder Game’ and looks the complete opposite to what just read 😃😃😃

‘Christmas at Hope Cottage’ by Lily Graham, published by Bookouture

A real lovely, happy, quirky and interesting book!
The main character, Emma,has a bad day which culminates in her having an accident where all her senses are muddled up ( this is described very well and at times fascinating) and she needs to leave London and go back home to her family in Whistling, a rural village in the Yorkshire Dales and ‘Hope Cottage’, here you meet a succession of wonderfully described and very memorable Village residents including Emma’s 2 Aunties,Dot and Aggie and Of course Evie, Emma’s wise and all seeing Gran....the story then turns to a centuries old magical recipe book, villagers then arrive with their problems and a gift, the gift to be exchanged for a cake or pie or souffle that has been made especially with their problem in mind, all have wonderful names such as ‘Good Cheer Christmas Cake’ and then they wait to see what happens.....there’s love, romance, a hot Spanish guy Sandro who has opened a Tapas bar in the village, family secrets, fueds and food, lots of food, wonderful exotic mouth watering food...all set at Christmas, you can smell, taste and feel Christmas on every page, it really is magical, great characters, easy to read and enjoy and kinda makes you want to leave your troubles behind and go and find this village and its warm cosy shops and tea rooms and join in all the ‘goings on’, really enjoyed this book and you will if you want a book to transport you to a magical Crimbo with the ahhhhhh factor 10/10 5 stars

I was initially attracted to the cover of this book- it's gorgeous! The description drew me in further and I wanted to read the book instantly. However, I struggled to get into the book, I don't know if this is because it's not quite Christmas yet, and all the Christmas references seem a little early, or if it's something else, I'm not too sure. I'm sure many readers will love this book, even if it isn't for me at the moment!

Great read and I loved how the family was central to this book, and the feud between families in the village is probably familiar to many places!
The book keeps you guessing and I read in one go as I wanted to find out what happened in the end!

Christmas at Hope Cottage

I enjoyed this book, it’s a story about families, feuds and love and a little bit of magic. Although Christmas is in the title it’s not focused on it all throughout so you could read this all cozy in winter and enjoy it.

It's been a struggle reviewing this book. I feel in shock giving Lily 3 stars, here is why....
I love Lily's books and her unique flair for writing that has always dragged me into the pages and filled my mind with sights and sounds and smells of the areas and noises and aromas she puts onto the pages in a way like no other I've read.
All the way through this book I've had a niggling feeling of missing that flair and that this story was too run of the mill chick lit to be Lily's, don't get me wrong I enjoyed the story but it felt lacking compared to her other stories....then while I was explaining my dilemma to a friend about my feelings about this book she got me to explain the story of the book....it's about a woman who's had an accident and lost her senses I began....BAM!!! It hit me like a ten tonne truck Lily hadn't lost her flair the character hadn't got the flair to describe those things so they couldn't be written the same way she normally would as an author I've come to love.
Now I'd found my reasoning I could look at the book with fresh eyes and a brand new viewpoint, I had enjoyed the characters and the quirky magical aura surrounding Hope Cottage as its residents and all the recipes they made (even if I couldn't smell them or taste them in the same way as older books) it was interesting having sections from past and present to explain and emphasise the relationship between the three main families in the village.
I still admit I personally missed the flair, but I'm glad it finally came to me why it was different.
If this is the first book anyone picks up by this author my recommendation would be read the others too Lily is as magical as the Halloways.

First time reading this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Look forward to reading more and maybe getting repeat characters popping up! Finished in the one sitting

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour. I love nothing more than a good festive read and this cover grabbed me immediately.

The first chapter was quite shocking and not at all what I was expecting. When Emma returns to Hope Cottage everything she left behind is still there. Her ex, Jack, the family legacy and the age old feud between the Allan’s, the Lea’s and the Holloway’s. This is not what Emma needs to help her on her road to recovery. I felt for Emma. Her recovery seemed so frustrating. I can’t imagine having your sense so screwed up like that and not being able to read would be so difficult for me.

The story was an easy one to read and had a real feel good factor to it. It was festive and comforting which is perfect for these winter nights that are now upon us. There were some really great recipes, I especially loved the Good Cheer Christmas Cake, I loved that the whole village got a piece.

I really enjoyed my trip to Whistling and I look forward to reading more of Lily’s books in the future.

If Lily Graham ever fancies a break from writing contemporary fiction (and I hope she doesn’t) I think she’d make a brilliant food writer – as highlighted in her latest book, Christmas At Hope Cottage.

I guess when your main character does it for a living you also need to know your stuff but it’s more than just dropping the odd technical term in, she makes food seem magical.

That’s just one of the things I enjoyed about this book which I found very hard to put down.

Here’s the blurb:

When thirty-year-old food writer Emma Halloway gets dumped then knocked off her bike, she’s broken in more ways than one, and returns to her family’s cosy cottage in the Yorkshire Dales. Emma hasn’t been back in some time, running from her crazy relatives and her childhood sweetheart, Jack Allen.

Emma’s grandmother is determined to bake her back to health and happiness, as the Halloways have done for generations. Surrounded by old friends and warm cinnamon buns, Emma starts to believe in her family’s special talents for healing again. But then in walks Jack with his sparkling hazel eyes, stirring up the family feud between them. 

As the twinkly lights are strung between the streetlamps, Emma remembers just why she fell for Jack in the first place... and why a Halloway should never date an Allen.

The infuriating new lodger, Sandro, doesn’t believe anyone should have to choose between love and family. With a little bit of Christmas magic, can Emma and Jack find a way to be together, or will Emma find herself heartbroken once more?

Poor Emma, it never rains but it pours. I don’t want to give anything away but she has more than just broken bones to contend with. I did find keeping up with where she was in the healing process a little confusing at times - although I was quickly distracted from pondering her injuries by her wonderfully eccentric family. They don’t live an easy life but it is a purposeful one and full of love and laughter..

The story switches between past and present with ease and you get a real sense of why Emma is the way she is. There are some darker moments in this book but it's all the better for them.

Lily very cleverly steers you in different directions and just when you think you know how you want things to play out, she inserts a little doubt here and there and you change your mind. Thankfully, in the end, it all works out just as it should (or at least just as I felt it should).

With thanks to Bookouture for the ARC (via NetGalley) in return for an honest review.

This is far more than a good feel book, this is a never give up believing because dreams can come true sort of book. I want to see this into a film because it is already playing round in the head  days after I have finished reading. Sigh……..

I just loved Emma from the moment I met her and thought oh poor girl this must be as bad as it gets being dumped so heartlessly but no, I think getting run over definitely topped that one! After a stint in hospital she had no choice but to leave her city job and home and return to Evie, her very unusual gran and Yorkshire to be cared for. A broken leg and arm not to the mention the loss of the talent she relied on for your job as a food writer made it impossible to care for herself.

Now when you live in a small village there are somethings that are never forgotten, including feuds between families, rumours of tales of the unexpected and of course falling in love for the first time. It is all so mystical and magical. What a super story. I loved the relationships, I could close my eyes and smell the cooking and baking and I could wish along for the outcomes I wanted so much for the brilliant characters I had come to know so well. Emma has a family like no other, all batty, loopy and simply wonderful.

This is the first book that I have read of Lily Thomas and I am still glowing inside. It is one of those books that you wish you could touch just a part of it for real because it has that special essence that we hope to experience sometime in our life. I do love a good story about forbidden love, done that one myself as a teenager. Emma isn’t a young girl anymore when she returns but, normally when not injured, an independent woman, so is there still a spark of romance in the air?


 I wish to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC which I have reviewed honestly

Emma Halloway followed in the footsteps of her mother by running away from her past to the impersonal rat race of London. Unfortunately, she is forced to return to her childhood home when she has a run in with a post office van. Slowly recuperating she starts to recall early memories and revisits the reasons why she left. A truly magical story

I've really enjoyed previous Lily Graham books and the amazing cover on her latest really drew me to it. It promises such a great Christmas story and you won't be disappointed.
Emma has an accident and goes to recover in the family home, Hope Cottage. You can just imagine tucking yourself under a blanket , beside the fire, nestled in the lovely cottage, sharing recipes and being wrapped in warm family hugs. Christmas is approaching and an eligible man adds romantic interest. The books sets such a lovely scene in your head. helped in no small part by the beautiful cover.
Great characters provide some really heartwarming memories and I loved every page.

Emma returns to her family home after an accident leaves her hard-pressed to live on her own. Her aunts welcome her and try to convince her to join their business which appears to be baking treats for people who come to the door with their problems. Emma has always written it off as nonsense but the longer she stays the more she isn't so sure. Jack, a neighbor and childhood friend comes to call to see if they can take up with each other again. However, he still won't' stand up to his mother and Emma breaks it off with him, only to find love and happiness in the arms of another..

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the absolutely stunning cover, I then read the blurb for the book and knew that it was one that I needed to read.  I have read a few of Lily's books so far and this has to be the best of hers that I have read to date - I loved everything about this book- the storyline was great and I loved the characters - Emma was a fantastic character and I loved following the story with her - superb writing and a really enjoyable story - 5 stars from me - you can get the book on the links below - enjoy!!  It definitely is worth getting a copy to read for this winter!!

Emma Halloway seems to be having a lot of bad luck sent her way. Not only does she get dumped (and not done face to face), she also finds herself looking far too closely at the pavement than she would have liked. No, I don’t mean that she randomly decided to look at the concrete closer – I don’t think she was THAT bored. No. She unfortunately became acquainted with the pavement thanks to a lorry. One word; ouch.

As I got to know more about Emma’s life, it didn’t take me too long to realise that her family weren’t exactly your ‘usual’ type of family. They seemed to have a completely different vibe. A majestic vibe if you will. Some may say that Emma’s family is extremely outlandish, yet some might say that they’re absolutely bonkers. Me? I’ll be honest, I still haven’t quite decided which side I fit. If any.

I have to be honest – I had to keep checking that I was in fact reading a Lily Graham novel as the style seemed substantially different to her previous novels. There were times where I thought somebody else had written the book because of the differences. I’m not saying that in a bad way, it just caught me off guard as it took me quite a while to gel with the storyline itself for that very reason.

I absolutely adore Lily’s writing style and, whilst I thought she was brave in taking a different route for her new book, I found myself feeling a little concerned that I wouldn’t like it as much as the authors previous books. Honestly? I wasn’t sure at first. After reading over a quarter of the book, something finally clicked for me. Looking back on it now, I couldn’t tell you what it was that clicked, but something did. The storyline suddenly made a lot of sense and the characters seemed a lot less bonkers than I had originally thought. It was from that moment that I knew the difference in Lily Graham’s style was a positive where this book was concerned.

‘Christmas at Hope Cottage’ had me entranced. The community’s vocal differences to a certain family not only had me intrigued, it also opened my eyes to exactly how much our family’s pasts can dictate the future in life AND death. Yes there were times where I thought things were a little farfetched, but I found myself falling in love with the overall storyline and the heart-warming message it conveyed in its entirety.

Personally, the highlight of this book was watching Emma flourish from start to finish. She started the book as a character who was lost, stuck in a rut and unsure of life. She ended the book as a character who knew what she wanted in life and where her heart stood, purely by being herself. It really was beautiful watching Emma make that transition and seeing how all of the other characters played a part in breaking down her walls to allow her true personality shine through.

‘Christmas at Hope Cottage’ is a clever, heart-warming and emotional read which will make you see life in a completely different way. Thanks to Lily Graham’s enchanting writing I was able to understand the importance of being yourself and not shying away from anything you believe in. Why should you change yourself to please other people? The only person you should be pleasing is yourself.

Eye-opening, beautiful and definitely memorable; Lily Graham has done it once again. I thoroughly enjoyed every inch of this book and I am annoyed at myself for thinking otherwise to begin with. ‘Christmas at Hope Cottage’ is guaranteed to give you copious amounts of hope…you just need to believe in yourself and the author.

Enchanting, as always.

Thanks Bookouture.

I absolutely adored this book. It has everything - 2 handsome men, interfering family, village feuds and belief in hope. Some would call it magic.

I read it in one sitting - just couldn't put it down! I truly hope we can visit Whistling again!

Prior to reading Christmas at Hope Cottage I had never read anything by author Lily Graham. The cover alone would make you want to read this Christmas book with such a gorgeous cottage as the focal point. I was expecting a Christmas themed romance story and yes there was some romance but it wasn't the entire focus of the book. Instead our main character Emma Halloway is coming back to the village of Whistling in rural Yorkshire. Her family have been stalwarts of the community ( amongst two or three other very important families) for decades but Emma escaped the village for a reason and doesn't really want to be coming back especially in the circumstances she finds herself presented with. The fact of the matter is she has no choice as the worst of days has befallen her and when times get tough you have to turn to your family members whether you want the support or not.

What set this book apart from anything I had read before was the element of magic present throughout. It wasn't magic in the sense of casting spells with magic wands etc but more so that Emma's family have this special sense of knowing just what a person needs to bring them back to themselves again or what is essential in making a favour/wish come true. The Galloway women have a talent for healing and most of the villagers look upon them positively and search them out when they need something to come true be it some romance or even to make a crop grow or success in a job. The women can help things along with their creations in the form of recipes/remedies as in cakes or a simple meal to be taken. Something must be given to the women by the recipients to bury in exchange for what has been made no cash is ever accepted for their work.

Honestly upon picking up this book I would never have thought magic a such would have been such a strong dominant feature and maybe if I had known this I wouldn't have picked up the book. On reflection I am glad I did, I'll admit I am the biggest sceptic and would have found making up remedies from the very special book all a bit far fetched and over the top. The story could have descended into Practical Magic territory but instead here I felt it worked. I pushed the magic element aside and enjoyed the story for what it was and sought the deeper meaning behind the Galloway women's work. The fact that they brought happiness and joy to people, through easy means meant so much to everyone that even the biggest of doubters would have been converted. Yes like with all the fairy-tales we have grown up reading that feature magic there was a curse mentioned here. Some readers may roll their eyes at this but it was a clever tactic used to bind the story together and as Emma slowly starts to uncover the reasons behind the curse and why things in her life mightn't be all plain sailing I enjoyed how all the strands of the story started to mesh together to make a lovely read .The book wasn't overly focused on Christmas. It did get a mention more towards coming to the climax but it didn't bother me that this wasn't the most Christmas themed book that I had ever read.

As mentioned when we first meet Emma she is having a very rough day. She awakes one morning to a note on the table saying her boyfriend Pete is breaking up with her. It's certainly not the start anyone would wish for. Compounding the fact her relationship is over she rushes out the door on her bike and is knocked over by a van delivering a parcel to her which contains the book which in itself becomes a character in the story. Devastating injuries ensue leaving Emma helpless. I had never heard of what had happened to Emma before, all her senses disappeared along with broken limbs. It must have been so frightening for her and it made me realise how we take for granted those every day things. Despite Emma's world falling apart I thought throughout the book she was strong and brave. She knew herself it was a big risk going back to Whistling and that old memories would stir themselves and come to the forefront of her mind. On the other hand she was practical and knew she needed the help and support as she was so incapacitated. Going home to Hope Cottage and her grandmother Evie and Great Aunts Dot and Aggie was a big step for her but one she knew she needed to take. Little did she bargain for some life changing, life affirming experiences to occur.

Emma soon discovers life in some ways in Whistling has changed and in others has remained very much the same. Hope Cottage is familiar and reassuring and old bulldog Pennywort is still there. Evie was a real motherly character who could sense Emma was hurting in more ways than one but she never put pressure on her.Instead I felt Evie and the Aunts could see the path Emma needed to take but they weren't going to use their remedies on her. They knew Emma had to figure things out for herself. They offered subtle hints and guidance and I felt they were a great support system, a comfort blanket a such, as they always had been ever since they took Emma in when her parents died tragically. There is a lot of history to the way the characters are in this story in the present and at times I thought I was missing out on bits but then they are slowly revealed. As the story moved on I could see why Emma was reluctant to return but I feel at some point or another we all have to confront what we dread/fear the most. Sexy Spaniard Sandro a chef who is staying with Evie made regular appearances and struck up a friendship with Emma. I wanted him to feature even more instead of another male figure who I couldn't warm to at all despite him playing a vital role in the overall plot. Sandro seemed other worldly and the ideal man anyone would wish to be with. There were a few twists and turns as the story drew to a conclusion and I could see how Emma was undergoing a transformation the further her recovery progressed. She was learning to accept herself and fight for what her heart wanted and not what was dictated by outside forces. Her fears of disappointed and her heart being continually crushed was something she was going to have to get over and move forward. Was she successful or did things all become too much? Well that is for you to discover.

Christmas at Hope Cottage was a very quick, easy read. I found myself flying through the chapters as they were short and this helped the flow of the story. I didn't think it lagged in any places and once I got over the fact there were remedies and magic as such an essential part of the plot I settled right into the story. I am glad I read this book.It was a nice taster of the writing of Lily Graham.It mightn’t be the most memorable book I have read this year but it was perfect to curl up with for a few hours. I would be interested to read more of Lily Graham's books to see if magic plays a part in those or to see what other directions she takes her writing in.

When thirty-year-old food writer Emma Halloway gets dumped no not by text but by a found post it note could things really get any worse for her. Oh yes they can,and do. Riding her bike she gets hit by a postal delivery van to top it off the delivery the man is on the street to deliver is for her. At the hospital she survives but she has a long recovery road ahead of her.Returning to her family’s cosy cottage in the Yorkshire Dales she is confused and has a myriad of emotions to deal with. Emma hasn't been there in quite awhile and must deal with crazy relatives and her childhood sweetheart, Jack Allen.You can smell the freshly baked biscuits as the snow softly falls . Delightful homey Christmas romance.
Pub Date 18 Oct 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Christmas at hope cottage is a lovely story about family and love, although there wasn't a huge amount of Christmas in it so could easily be classed as a wintery read - so grab a blanket, a mug of hot chocolate and settle down for a bit of magic!

Emma has returned home to Hope Cottage so that her grandmother Evie can help her recover after a nasty accident.
Along with Evies sisters, Dot and Aggie, the three embark of nursing Emma back to health - easier said than done when your senses are in a complete muddle -
Things that should feel hot like a shower, feel painful and tingly, her vision is doubled and her taste buds are disengaged.

Over time we learn more about the Halloway family and their secret recipe book, one that is thought to have magic linked to it.
I don't want to give too much away about this as you really need to read the story to get a feel for the history and the way the recipes work, but what I will say is that things don't always work out as planned and this has caused a long feud between the Halloways, Allen's and Leas over the years.

This is all well and good except Emma's first love, Jack, Is an Allen and over the years his family have made things difficult for the pair.

Emma coming home encourages Jack to come to Hope Cottage and he tells her he was a fool to believe everything that was said and that he wasn't going to listen anymore.

Ofcourse nothing runs smoothly, especially with Jacks jealously coming into play around Sandro... the handsome Spanish lodger also at hope cottage!

I enjoyed reading Christmas at hope cottage - this is the first book from lily Graham that I've read  - although I did find the first half a bit of a slow go, this is purely because the novel starts in the present day and we go back into the past a few times, this is is just a personal reading preference and nothing against the story, but I also felt that there could have been a little more spark or 'moments' between Emma  and Sandro which for me, would have made the ending slightly more believable.
Nevertheless I'm not put off and planning another book by Lilly soon!

If you are looking for a fabulous book which has a delicious combination of laughter, romance, tears and new beginnings, then this is most definitely the book for you. If you are a Christmas Grinch without an ounce of festive cheer in you … well read it anyway. Like me (I’m a Grinch) you just find you love it.

When Emma’s boyfriend Pete breaks up with her just before Christmas, she thinks that this is the worst of her problems. Until, that is, she heads to the shop to buy the necessary supplies to drown her sorrows and promptly gets knocked of her bike. Suffering life changing injuries, Emma has no option other than to leave her London home and head back to her old village and the safe care of her Grandmother. But she is no ordinary grandmother and Emma’s is no ordinary family. Much like her mother before her, Emma had been trying to forget her roots, to ignore the pull of the old family recipe book in the hope of living a ‘normal’ life without all of the baggage that comes with being a Halloway. But Emma soon comes to learn that life really is nothing without a little magic.

From the very beginning as a reader you find yourself drawn into Emma’s overly dramatic world. Battling relationship woes and avoiding her slightly eccentric family, Emma has been working as a journalist writing columns on the traditional aspects of cooking, a passion instilled within her from her time living at Hope Cottage. But when her accident leaves her incapable of looking after herself, her leg and arm broken and all of her senses rewired in the most dramatic of ways. Everything she loved is now out of her reach and this is captured so effectively in Lily Graham’s writing. It must be a truly awful feeling to have a passion for food but not be able to taste anything. A wonderous love of the sights and smells of food but not be able to see clearly or smell anything. The smell thing may be a bonus given than her broken arm and leg and lack of balance make it hard to shower, but it is still a truly unenviable position to be in.

Despite her woes, or perhaps increasing them, the injuries force Emma to return to the village in which she grew up – the village she had run away from in order to escape the impossible to achieve love she feels for local resident Jack Allen. The Allen’s and the Halloway’s have a very dark history, one which the Allen’s seem unable to forgive and forget, and as a result any relationship between the two children was impossible. But can age and a little distance make either of them see sense and can Emma rekindle a romance that never quite started with the person she believes is the love of her life?

Well… possibly. But then she didn’t count on meeting her Grandmother’s lodger, Sandro. Sandro runs the local Tapas Hut and has infinite patience for Emma, despite her moods. From their very first meeting he gets under Emma’s skin, his being the first face she truly sees in focus since the accident. He is warm and funny where she is testy and often cold. Easy to forgive when you think of her predicament. But is there more to their occasional conflicts, nearly always of Emma’s making, than meets the eye?

I really enjoyed the way in which the author has woven in a very subtle element of magic into the story. There is no outright statement that we are in the presence of a family of witches, although that is surely what is implied. The recipes that the Halloway family make are as much about hope as they are guarantee, and perhaps it is the power of belief, or superstition, which is the key to the recipe’s success far more than it is magic. But what is clear is that when a Halloway bakes, strange things start to happen, and a price must always be paid.

I loved the characters within the book, especially Emma’s Grandmother Evie and her two Great Aunts, who are all wonderfully eccentric and larger than life characters. The women definitely rule the roost in this book, quite right too, and for once the idea of the matriarch is strong and dominates the Halloway family line, something not all prospective suitors are happy about. However, it is possibly also due to the strong female characters in this book that the feuds continue way beyond what is reasonable. We ladies do seem to like to hold a grudge now…

With some of the story told in flashbacks to Emma’s childhood, we learn much more about her and her family. Of the conflict which caused the rift between the families of Whistling, and the past which will ultimately shape Emma’s future. And it is a joy to see her slowly recover, to rediscover a love for baking and perhaps find out something about herself which she isn’t expecting, even though to everyone else it’s as plain as the nose on her face. Perhaps Emma has her double vision to thank for that one.

This is a beautifully crafted story of family feuds and forgiveness; misunderstanding and suspicion; romance and a little bit of festive magic. How can you resist?

I agree as already said “A magical feel good romance novel”, but much more. My first Lily Graham read. Best novel of this Christmas reading. Most families have secrets that have to wait until the right time to open up and get on with life. I loved this book.