The Little Christmas Teashop of Second Chances by Donna Ashcroft

What a sweet, sweet story! While The Little Christmas Teashop of Second Chances takes place during Christmas, I wouldn't call it a Christmas romance. It can be read and enjoyed at any time of the year. It also stands alone and it's not necessary that you read Summer at the Castle Cafe in order to enjoy this one. Josh and Lily were so awkwardly adorable as they planned the wedding together without knowing each other at all beforehand. I eat this kind of story up! They develop this really cute friendship and they get a little flirty and it warmed my heart so much. I loved the strong emphasis on family, both found and not. I loved the community of villagers who care so much about each other. The romance is no-spice, and I loved it! Perfect for curling up by the fire!

This is book 2 in the series but does not need to be read in order. Both books can be read as stand alone, but the characters show up in both. It's exactly what you would expect in a heart-warming love story at a castle. But what is not expected is its lack of being Christmas themed. The writing style of the author is pleasant and easy to read. You fall right into the story and the pages flow. It's a fantastic read for any time of year that you just want a fun, light, sweet read!

I'd read the 1st book set at the Castle so had to read this one, although are both ate stand alone stories and don't necessarily have to be read in order (but some characters are in both books).

A lovely story of following your own dreams, not those of other people! and of standing up for yourself.

Despite the story being set at Christmas it's a story which can be read any time of year.

I'm glad I read this.

Love this book so easy to read loved the plot characters so good your there with them all just a lovley read I read in a day hooked love it all so easy to read

Lily and Josh's romance story. Overall a fair story, although expected a bit more Christmas cheer, due to the title of course. A lot more angst than expected to before the HEA, but that may have just been my mood. Overall I did enjoy it, and really like this author. I would highly recommend this book and author.

I enjoyed the story line of this book and it was a really good read. I did feel however it wasn't as Christmassy as I had hoped. That may be just me though. I would however still totally recommend this book.

Cute little romance novel for Christmas. Such a fun read and beautiful well written. Normal romance and I just love it.

What a lovely book. Really loved catching up with the castle tea shop again and all the characters in it. Nice Christmas read but not too over the top.

If you are looking for a fun read then this is it. A perfect cosy read at Christmas or for a snowy winters night. It is the second book but this can easily be read as a stand alone. Great characters to connect with and a brilliant plot full of the joys of Christmas. Lily has loved and lost and feels like she is stuck, she wants to make her dream come true and will she find love again at Christmas? I lovely, fun and enjoyable read.

Festive Christmas story that is perfect for reading during the long cold winter nights while drinking your tea and eating mince pies . The cover is so bold and bright, very eye catching! Nice, makes me think of a Hallmark movie. I recommend it.
Pub Date 02 Oct 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received a digital ARC of #TheLittleChristmasTeashopOfSecondChances from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had previously read Summer at the Castle Cafe and loved it so I had high hopes for this next installment. Although it is book 2 in the series I don't feel I would have missed anything if I hadn't read book 1. They can both be read as stand alones.

I loved this book as much as the first one. I instantly felt back at home in a safe place with the familiar characters. Donna has a lovely writing style that make you feel like you're actually there. I definitely want to visit that cafe and have a slice of the death by chocolate cake!!

Although this is Christmas themed, it wasn't as christmassy as I had expected. However that didn't make me enjoy the book any less. I loved the characters and the setting. Reading a castle cove book is like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers - I know I won't be disappointed and it will be a great book. Highly recommend this series and will be reading any more that come out!

The Little Christmas Teashop of Second Chances is my second visit to Castle Cove this year and again Donna Ashcroft has written a wonderful book, this time with the theme of second chances and finding happiness at its centre. This book has a gorgeous, colourful cover which draws you in and makes you keen to discover Lily King's story.

Lily works in the Castle teashop but she has a long held ambition to become a chef which would allow her to indulge her passion for food and cooking. Several times a week she also works as a waitress at the Castle Cove restaurant and this is as near to achieving her dream as she has gotten. Lily was a lovable character right from the very beginning, she knew she had flaws and wasn't afraid to admit them. OK maybe she didn't shout them from the rooftops but she knew she needed to fix a few things in her life before she could take the next step forward. But she is kind, good natured and has a heart of gold and would do anything to help a friend or family member in their time of need whenever and whatever that may be.

When it comes to love Lily can't say that she has been that fortunate and contented as she has recently been dumped by Rogan Kelly. 'Lily was unlucky in love and her heart had been broken a few times now- so many that she wondered if it was even worth giving romance another try'. I think romance is always worth a try for if you don't explore and get out there and look for that special someone you really don't know what you could be missing out on. The very person you are meant to spend the rest of your life with could be right there under your nose. For Lily the Castle Tea Shop is a home from home but one can become stuck in a rut and routine and although she loves her job and enjoys meeting lots of different people now is the time she needs to take a risk and follow her dreams. She is in danger of settling on a lonely path and she needs to change this attitude. 'The time had come for new challenges if she was ever going to be happy'. Yes this was a terrifying prospect for Lily to step out of her comfort zone but also the fact she was attempting to adopt this new found attitude and outlook on life was inspiring at the same time.

I think Lily's family history had a profound impact on why she was often so tentative when it came to finding love and happiness. Her family run the local brewery and it was her father and brothers who brought her up when her mother left when she was just a baby. Not having a mother figure in her life didn't damage Lily but yet it did have a significant impact on her. So when a letter arrives out of the blue from her mother Aubrey the cat is set amongst the pigeons. Why is she making contact after so many years of silence and nothing at all? Should Lily take the risks she so often talks about and go and meet Aubrey? Should she tell her father and brothers about this unexpected event? Or would that cause too much heartbreak?

I never liked Aubrey as a character at all. I thought from the moment we met her that she had ulterior motives. Why would she just contact Lily so suddenly unless she wanted something? Aubrey just waltzed back into Lily's life after an absence of so many years and then arrived with preconceived notions, ideas and expectations of how she wanted Lily to change to her own standards and way of thinking. I felt Lily deep down knew that what Aubrey was doing was wrong and therefore she didn't tell anyone about her mother making contact. Yes Lily wanted to make changes in her life and find her confidence again but I don't think establishing a relationship with Aubrey was the way to go. I wouldn't normally say that when it comes to a mother/daughter relationship in books but here it felt there was more bad than good and ulterior motives were behind everything rather than genuine love and affection.

Reconnecting with Aubrey was just one strand to the story and I thought the author gave us just the right amount of this balanced nicely alongside the challenge Lily has to arrange her best friends wedding. Aubrey presented the more serious side to the story whereas planning Emily's wedding, as she was away and wouldn't arrive back until her wedding at Christmas, gave us plenty of fun, humour and laugh out loud moments. Lily thought this would be plain sailing, not so when Emily's soon to be brother in law-Josh-is tasked with helping Lily with the arrangements. Josh is a photographer recently moved from London and working on his next exhibition. He was a brooding character who I felt at times just wanted to be left alone to get on with his passion but he has his own family pressures as his mother is constantly at him to become a doctor. Lily instantly feels something for Josh but she can't measure or quantify what it is. She needs time to sit back and assess things.

Whereas I thought - Lily you wanted to grab new opportunities and go for them so why are you being so tentative around Josh? It was like they circled each other and sparred off each other when it came to selecting things for the wedding. At times they very much rubbed each other up the wrong way but this was more like a smoke screen or a resistance to how they were perhaps feeling deep down. Lily always has a smart answer or rebuke for Josh and I loved seeing this develop between the pair and go back and forth. 'Perhaps it was a defence mechanism because she liked him more than she should and while she found him attractive, his irresponsible, rebellious attitude to life proved he wasn't the man for her'. I get Lily wanted someone in her life that she could rely on but really she wasted so much time and energy keeping everything locked inside and not just going for it and seeing where the wind would take her. She's not truly honest with herself or anyone else.

I think Josh saw this aspect to her character and he wanted to break it down. He was a man who did what he wanted regardless and maybe Lily should adopt that stance with regard to life as well. I loved Josh and deep down I knew he was in pain because he couldn't fully commit to what he wanted to do due to external pressures. I thought himself and Lily were so compatible and their romance was ripe for development, the question remained who would be prepared to make the first move? I thought the scenes where Lily and Josh have to come together to organise things for the wedding provided alot of light relief and laugh out loud moments going from test driving suitable wedding cars, to trying on the brides dress to tasting food for the reception, the pair were covering all angles and in doing so I fervently hoped it would bring the pair closer together.

Really reflecting on everything Lily and Josh were as bad as each other not wanting to make the leap. Even though they both had feelings for each other Josh was afraid of failure and of getting hurt. I think we all feel that way but unless you try you'll never know and you'll never realise what joy you could be missing out on. 'That was why he didn't let people close - the reason relationships of any kind were a bad idea. He didn't live up to expectations, he hurt people without meaning to and he'd do well to remember it. Which was yet another reason why he was determined to keep his distance from Lily'. Yet with the wedding preparations forcing them to come together maybe this solemn and defeatist attitude from Josh might very well change. I for one really hoped it would.

Lily needs to find out who she truly is. Can Josh help her do this? Can they have the perfect wedding ready for Emily and Paul as Christmas approaches? Will Lily fulfil her dream and become a chef and as an aside will herself and Josh push things to one side and take the plunge? All these questions arced through my mind as I flew through the final satisfying chapters in what proved to be a delightful read and a welcome return to the characters and setting of Castle Cove. It's a lovely read for this time of year- entertaining, uplifting, cosy and with plenty of drama and romance thrown in as Lily and Josh learn some truthful, honest and intense life lessons. Donna's new book will be with us in March, The Little Guesthouse of New Beginnings has a stunning cover and it's certainly on my radar as a book to look forward to in 2019.

A very shy young woman learns to deal with her feelings of abandonment and the way it's hampered her ability to take chances. She navigates a fraught re-connection with her long-absent mother, comes out of her shell enough to chase her dream job of being a chef, and discovers her inner strength. Oh, also, there's a jerk hanging around and for some reason she falls in love with him.

As you can probably tell, I was very much not a fan of Josh, the hero of this story. He was self-absorbed and dickish, and when he got called out on his behavior the only reaction was "I'm sorry you were hurt by my being right all along, but if you live more like me it wouldn't be a problem." Also, I did not buy at all that his point-and-click antics were those of a celebrated photographer. Never met an artist worth his salt who didn't spent a full hour at least in a single spot just to get one usable shot. Or understand the value of self-promotion. What a f*ing snoot.

But as much as I didn't like Josh, I did like Lily and her emotional journey. Her wallflower ways were slightly irritating at times, but it was always very clear where her fears came from. She's obsessed with following instructions to make things perfect because she worries about being abandoned if she goes off-book in anything, and a lot of her journey is learning to trust her friends not to leave and trust herself to experiment. Her relationship with her mother is rather heartbreaking, but the love between her and her father and brothers makes up for it with heartwarming. And fortunately, she spends more time with them than Josh.

I loved the first offering from Castle Cove and was delighted to discover there was a second. This wonderful Christmassy story has been a great hindrance to my wrapping for Christmas this year as I've been wanting to spend the time in Josh and Lily's world rather than with scissors and sellotape! There everything you could want in this story to make you feel warm, fuzzy and festive. There's romance, humour, lots of cake and the importance of being a little bit brave. I highly recommend this series and can't wait for the next installment.

The Little Christmas Teashop of Second Chances is the perfect Christmas story. When I started reading it, I knew it was just what I needed, a cozy and lovely Christmas story to lift up my holiday spirit. And it really was.
Lily King is a very nice girl, too nice. Josh is the opposite. However, together they might find some middle ground, or at least in the wedding preparations her best friend and his brother had asked them to do for them. Though, there might be something else in the air…
I enjoyed the story; it was simple yet complex enough. The characters were interesting, although there were many of them. The story was sweet and I found beautiful quotes that actually made me think. The plot, about Lily’s personality, was interesting and something you can easy feel related to.
I have not read the other book by Donna Ashcroft, but that was not a problem at all; I know I definitely want to read it.
If you are looking for an easy to read, lovely and cozy story for the holidays, this is definitely a perfect choice. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

This was a lovely enjoyable book with humour, romance and love 💕 Join Lily and Josh as they get to know one another whilst trying to bring everything together for Emily and Paul’s wedding.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I really enjoyed reading Summer at the Castle Cafe and couldn't wait to read this festive edition from the same location by Donna Ashcroft.

Lily King has just been dumped by her boyfriend and although she loves her job at the Castle Teashop she has aspirations to become a chef. She receives a phone call from her friend who needs help organising her Christmas wedding in a few weeks time. Best friend Emily sends along her fiance's brother to help with the wedding preparations and Josh Havellin-Scott arrives... to much drama!

Lily and Josh are extreme opposites and would probably avoid each other in other circumstances, but they have a job to do together and the chemistry begins to show.

Lily's personal life is disrupted when a family member tries to renter her life after leaving when Lily was just a child. Should Lily risk upsetting her dad and brothers by telling them about the reappearance or keep the news to herself?

This is the perfect Christmas read with a magical location, characters which are highly relatable and an enchanting message to follow your dreams.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book, which I have reviewed honestly.

Thank you Netgalley for this perfect little Christmas book. I have been waiting to enjoy this one during the holidays and it really delivered. I really loved Lily and Josh. Their relationship was very realistic and made for a great holiday romance. There was quite a lot going on in this book- the wedding planning, the estranged mother showing up after years, and also Josh's art show, but I felt it was all balanced well. I loved that Lily used things she was learning from meeting Josh to deal with her horrible mother. Lily really came into her own and became so much more confident as the story unfolded. I will definitely read more Donna Ashcroft.

Lily King is stuck in a rut in her small-town life in Castle Cove, working a nice-enough job in a cosy teashop. Things start to change when she attempts to move into a new career. But things get complicated when her absent mother contacts her from out of the blue and then Lily is thrown into the path of the handsome Josh. Lily’s best friend Emily is stuck out of the country with her soon-to-be husband so Lily must team up with Josh, Emily’s future brother-in-law, to finalise plans for the Christmas wedding.

Lily and Josh don’t get on at first, but there’s definitely chemistry. They each have their own problems, with their families and their confidence in themselves, but they learn important lessons from each other.

I liked both the main characters, with their own unique traits and flaws, and the chemistry between them. I really liked the setting of the town of Castle Cove and the businesses run in the Castle of the title. There’s a great cast of likable friends and neighbours in the town.

The story doesn’t get very Christmassy until the end but when it does, it’s lovely.

This is the second book set in the town of Castle Cove, (the other being a summer story). The stories are stand alone and though I hadn’t read the first book, I am now interested in reading more about the characters in the wonderful little town.

I think that The Little Teashop of Second Chances is a wonderful, cosy, Christmas read.

A very twee little story. I felt it was a lovely little read for a quiet afternoon. Thank you for the chance to read this Netgalley