I think I say whenever I review a Tilly Tennant novel, BUT I mean it every single time and this time is no exception - I have absolutely no idea how she does it, but once again she has written her best book yet. Oh my goodness!! There was no doubt in my mind before I started reading the book as to whether I would like it or not, because I knew I would enjoy it just like Tennant's other novels. What I didn't expect however, was just how much I ended up enjoying it. 'The Christmas Wish' isn't just a special story, it's more than that. It's a captivating, magnetic, beautiful, powerful novel which made the word 'special' seem very tame.

Esme has so much love for her grandmother, Matilda, but after spending several years wrapped up in her relationship with Warren, Esme ended up not visiting Matilda as much as she would have liked. So, when the time comes for Esme to stand on Matilda's doorstep, nobody could have expected lives to change as drastically as they were going to...

A lot of the storyline is governed by Esme's relationship (if you can call it that) with Warren, and I have to admit that it was a little bit uncomfortable to read at times because of the relatable and raw element. I won't delve into details due to spoilers, but where Warren is concerned, the storyline certainly lives up to its winter theme, that's for sure.

With a trip of a lifetime close to Esme's fingertips, I wanted to reach into the book and shake her shoulders, telling her to not be so stupid by not going on the trip! Her grandmother obviously wanted her to go, so why not do one last thing in memory? Obviously I could understand why Esme felt on the fence, but it was very hard to watch her teeter on that decision by giving the power to someone who didn't deserve any ounce of it.

I adored every snowflake of 'The Christmas Wish', with the not so festive moments making the storyline such a powerful and poignant read which a lot of readers may end up resonating with. From start to finish, I held the characters in my heart - yes, they were flawed, complex and somewhat frustrating, yet those traits alongside their humour, tender hearts, and addictive personalities made them who they were. Personally, I couldn't have asked for more - you only have to take a look at Herontese!!!

Tilly Tennant has blown me away once again with this phenomenal storyline. I ended up closing the book with a massive smile on my face, yet I couldn't help but feel bereft at what I had just left behind. This is a truly magnificent, beautifully written, thought provoking and enchanting read - Tilly Tennant has done herself and her characters proud with this gem. Definitely her best book yet - wow, I loved it!

I do enjoy a Christmas story and this is a lovely heartwarming Christmas romance. 

The story was enchanting and the author has expertly described the beautiful locations so well that I could believe I was there. It has always been a dream of mine to see the northern lights and despite living in Orkney for a couple of years I have yet to see them at their best - although I did spend many nights driving the island with my mother and our cameras trying to catch sight of them... 

This is a well-written story, with lovely supporting characters which made this a fun and entertaining read.  

This was my third Christmas read so far this year and I am feeling so Christmasy now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Tilly Tennant for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.

Esme seeks refuge at her grandmothers following a split with her boyfriend and a relationship that has isolated her from friends and family. Following a family death Esme takes a trip to Lapland where her life and relationship gain some perspective.

The setting is gorgeous and makes you wish for hot chocolate and crunchy snow. I’d have preferred it if Esme had come to the realisation about the reality of her relationship slightly sooner as it drags on throughout the story. There are also chunks of time missing and little description of events which just leaves you wondering what happened.

Verdict - good but not satisfying.

Awwww, Tilly Tennant's books never fail to put a smile on my face! The Christmas Wish has been such an adorable read. I've LOVED it! It does have it's fair share of drama and sadness and one particularly annoying character who I could happily slap! It's a very character driven story and I did love almost all of them.
When we meet Esme she has moved back in with her Grandmother in Derbyshire after splitting with her boyfriend, Warren. WOW, he's a piece of work and is the character I was referring to above. Esme is definitely better of without him, but he has a certain hold over her. However, her Grandmother makes her realise she is worth so much more until the worst happens and Esme finds herself alone with a pair of tickets for a trip of a lifetime to Lapland, which her Grandmother had planned for the both of them to enjoy together that Christmas.
Before long she succumbs to Warren's 'charms' (and I use that term very loosely!) and agrees to move back to London with him. She really wants him to go on the trip with her, but of course everything has to be on Warren's terms and he refuses point blank. I was SO happy when Esme decided to go anyway, alone. I'm not sure I would have been as brave though. Esme agrees to meet other lone travellers at the airport and this is when we meet Hortense (fab name!), Brian and Zach who couldn't be any different from each other, but the four of them become friends and decide to enjoy their holiday together. What a fabulous mix of characters! Zach is just so lovely, but it seems he has a past which he is finding difficult to move on from.
This is the most heart-warming of story's, set in such a stunning place at the most magical time of the year and I can't imagine anyone not loving every single page. Tilly Tennant has a way of drawing you in and not letting you go until the end of the very last page. I was totally captivated! Beautifully written, as always. I highly recommend!
Many thanks to the author and publisher for my ARC via Netgalley and also a massive thank you to Tilly Tennant for my beautiful signed paperback copy :-)

THE CHRISTMAS WISH by Tilly Tennant is an emotional journey about self-worth, relationships and finding your path, all taking place in a stunning Christmas setting.

Esme Greenwood has lost her relationship with her parents and her friends, all in her effort to keep her fiancé Warren content and happy, but when she discovers something awful, Esme escapes to her grandmother's house in the countryside for some rest and relaxation. When tragedy strikes, Tilly finds herself on a solo trip to Lapland where she makes new friends and begins to really look at her life and what she wants from love and the future, but as Warren pulls out all of the stops to lure her back to him, will she be strong enough to make herself heard? And what about the feelings she gets around her new friend Zach, who seems to be hiding secrets of his own?

Compelling, gripping, and at times, so frustrating, THE CHRISTMAS WISH by Tilly Tennant kept my eyes glued to the page from beginning to end. The characters are engaging and you will care about them so much, and even though there were many times where I wanted to scream at Esme to open her eyes, you will feel invested in their story.
The setting is breathtaking and is a character in its own right, and I felt like a child again when reading about Santa's village.

THE CHRISTMAS WISH by Tilly Tennant is a wonderful tale and is definitely worth reading this Winter.

Oh what a truly wonderful and delightful read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this heartfelt story whilst curled up on my sofa. It was most certainly a story that entertains and melts your heart throughout, with a couple of emotional scenes throughout.

The author draws you right in to the story pretty quickly with meeting and getting to know all of the characters and experiencing the idyllic and picturesque setting/location of Lapland, was so very easy to lose myself in this story.

I loved my visit to Lapland, really did feel like I was there for real, as it was all so well described and well written. The mentions of the Northern Lights just sounded beautiful, although as much as I'd love to see them for real, not sure I could have coped with the extreme cold weather conditions of Lapland lol. Like Esme I would have loved the ride on the snowmobile, but I wouldn’t have wanted to drive it myself lol, so like her, would have been more than happy to have my arms wrapped around Zach, letting him drive it around through the snow. I can just imagine what a thrill it was.

I loved getting to know the main character Esme, seeing how she coped with everything that came her way, not only did she have to deal with her boyfriend Warren and her parents, but also the sad passing of her grandma, not to mention visiting a country she’s never been too before and all of the other changes/decisions she had to content with. That's a lot to handle for one person.

The whole story, the characters and everything about this book was all so very well written, which is no surprise as author Tilly never fails to deliver. Having read a few of her books to date, I can very much vouch for that. Just love her books.

This is a lovely story which introduces us to the amazing phenomenon which are the Northern Lights. Like a lot of people, to see them myself is high up on my bucket list.

Travelling to Lapland to hopefully see the sight are a group of people travelling on their own. Esme has recently lost her beloved Grandmother and is fulfilling a dream she didn’t know she held so dear. She meets up with fellow travellers Brian, Hortense and Zach who not only provide some much needed companionship, but also amazing friendships.

The story flows really well, there are some difficult moments for Esme to deal with as well as some humorous ones. The underlying message I took from this book is that you can find friends in the darkest of times if you only open your heart to the possibility.

Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.

This is my first Christmas read of the year, and the first time I have read anything by Tilly Tennant, and I'm delighted to report that it left me feeling happy and Christmasy!

It begins with an upset Esme arriving at Thimble Cottage, her grandmother's home in Derbyshire. She has left Warren, her fiance, having discovered that he is cheating on her.

In the time that they have been together, Warren had managed to alienate her from her friends and family - they don't understand him like she does, and he needs her...

Her grandmother, Matilda Greenwood, begins to rebuild Esme's confidence and she is happier, now that she is away from Warren's controlling behaviour.

Things change when Matilda dies suddenly whilst out Christmas shopping, having purchased two tickets for a trip to see the northern lights in Lapland. On hearing the news about Matilda, Warren begins to bombard Esme with messages until he wins her back. She leaves Derbyshire to return to the London flat she used to share with Warren. The warning signs are there from the minute he meets her at the station. She is totally under his spell again... until she discovers that he hasn't changed.

Esme decides to go to Lapland on her own to honour her Grandmother, as Warren has refused to go with her. Here she joins three other singletons and quickly falls for Zach. Of course, there are hurdles to overcome before they can have any hope of being together.

This is a well-written story, and I loved the supporting characters of Hortense and Brian, which I thought made this a funny and entertaining read.

This was such a lovely book!!! It has everything I want in a Christmas story - romance , snow, holiday, will they won't they? and a misunderstanding! This is the perfect book to get you in the Christmas spirit - I want to see the Northern lights now!

**I received an ARC from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a joy to read, made me feel all warm and tingly inside. It was a bit heavy at the begining dealing with grief and loss but it became much lighter.

Oozed holiday charm. Overall a good book.

Excellent book with a great storyline. Characters that are so well written. I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

A truly gorgeous Lapland delight!
Tilly Tennant’s description of the beautiful Lapland resort made me feel like I was there. Beautifully written, another place this author has made me want to visit.
Even though it was set in December, it wasn’t overly Christmassy and you could read it any time of the year and enjoy it.
I thoroughly recommend this book, in fact all the books by Tilly Tennant are just so lovely. With both happy moments and sad moments it's the perfect heart-warming story.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy in which I give my honest opinion.

Another wonderful book from Tilly Tennant! She is really my favorite author! Everytime I read a book from Tilly, everytime I am enjoying myself a lot. This time Tilly Tennant brings us to Rovaniemi in Lapland for Christmas time with Esme who is trying to understand where she stands with her manipulative boyfriend. The fact that the story takes place in Lapland during winter gives a magical touch to the book. The main subject of the story which is manipulative relationship is a serious and tough one which is important to talk about. This story is also about family love and friendship and I am very happy to have read it! This is a lovely book to read in winter or Christmas time! I warmly recommend it!

The story begins with Esme Greenwood. She is visiting her grandmother, Matilda in the Lake District after leaving behind her home in London and her lying, cheating fiancé, Warren. She needs some time to think about Warren and what to do, but she finds herself staying at Matilda’s a few weeks longer than she intended. Esme and her grandmother reminisce about times gone past and get talking about how they always wanted to visit Lapland at Christmas time. As Christmas is coming, Esme takes her grandmother out on a shopping trip to buy presents but tragedy strikes and Matilda collapses and dies. Determined to fulfil her grandmother’s wishes, Esme decides to go to Lapland for the trip of a lifetime. Overcome by grief, she meets up with some fellow solo travellers, including the handsome brooding Zach. Will Esme get the happy ending that she desperately needs?

I love this author and have read so many of her books! I knew I was going to enjoy this one, but I wasn’t banking on how much!!! The cover is so catching and draws you to it straight away! I mean, look at the cover….how beautiful is it? I fell for this book right from the first word and once started literally couldn’t put it down! The author has the perfect style of writing where it makes you laugh and tugs at the heartstrings, all in one go! It picks you up and drops you right in the story so you feel like you are experiencing every single moment first hand.

I loved Esme’s character! You may see her as a bit of a ‘doormat’ letting people, or more specifically her fiancé Warren, walk all over her. Warren was a nasty piece of work – lying, cheating, controlling and aggressive! I could see it right from the beginning, but obviously Esme couldn’t and no matter how much I willed her to realise it, she needed to work it out for herself what kind of man he was. All the other characters were wonderful also (apart from Warren!) and what a better bunch of people to meet on holiday! Of course, Zach was always going to be a love interest, but you are kept wondering what secret he’s hiding from them. The setting of Lapland was absolutely perfect! How much more festive could this book be!! There was lots of snow, reindeers and even a visit to Santa. The Northern Lights description was breath-taking and made me want to be there experiencing it with them!

I literally could not put this book down and hours passed by before I’d realised, I was that engrossed in the wonderfulness of it! I finished it in just over 6 hours which, even for me, has to be some kind of record. This book made me cry and it made me laugh. It also filled me with festive warm feelings of love, family and friendship.

Love love LOVED it!! If you are going to read any Christmas romances this year, make sure it’s this one!

The magic of the Northern Lights and Lapland are packaged up in to this contemporary romance.
After a very difficult time in her life when she is at a crossroads with no family or friends to support her, Esme sets off on a solo trip of a lifetime and finds more than she bargained for.
I found the details of her relationship with Warren really quite harrowing, it's definitely a very realistic portrayal of coercion and control but for anyone who this is a sensitive issue for I'd warn that this could be triggering. I certainly felt very concerned reading about his behaviour.
However, the friendships Esme finds on her trip are wonderful, each in their own way, and you get a sense of just how much Esme has lost and join her on her journey of self redemption & recovery.

Warren is a creep, a rat, and a thousand other things but he's not the man for Esme, who unfortunately just can't get that through her head. Her grandmother Matilda, in an act of love, buys the two of them tickets for a trip to Lapland but then, sadly dies. Esme goes alone but she's not alone, really, as there are some delightful people on the trip, including Zach. Oh Zach - we know there's some issue lurking there but.......Tennant has a good way with a love story and this is no exception. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Love that this had a unique setting- what a treat- and the characters as well.

Slowly that time of the year is arriving and books about Christmas are popping up. This story certainly looked at the festive season from a different angle and it was refreshing. 

Take one cheating, dominating boyfriend, a lovely but naive girlfriend and you already know that trouble is on its way when the little mouse, little by little, seems to turn into a lioness. 

The author takes us from the England on a magical trip to Lapland and after reading the book, you start to believe that Santa does exist after all. 

A fluently written book about dealing with grieve and second chances.

I hope we are in for a sequel, because I had the impression the story has only just started. 4 stars

Thank you Tilly Tennant, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Thank you to Noelle Holten at Bookouture and Netgalley for my review copy of the book and for inviting me to participate on the blog tour.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this beautiful book as I completely fell in love with everything about it. The characters (although not all of them....!) the setting, the story....

I've read a few Tilly Tennant books now and I fall hook, line and sinker for them and this one didn't disappoint. I think it is my favourite so far!

We meet Esme as she is coming to terms with her cheating fiancé Warren. Unable to cope in London she turns up on the doorstop of her beloved grandmother Matilda and seeks refuge in her cottage whilst trying to move forward and take the next step in her life. Tragedy strikes when Matilda dies and Esme seemingly takes a step backwards. A chance reminder about her grandparents and their love for each other and the opportunity they weren't able to take with a trip to Lapland, persuade Esme to make the journey herself and more importantly on her own.

She immediately meets up with some like minded travellers, Hortense, Brian and Zach who have also made the trip alone and this is where the fun begins..... Hortense really lights up the pages and is a welcome tonic to the serious Zach who is also experiencing his own issues that we eventually learn more about. We get a sense that there is an attraction between Esme and Zach and at times, I really wanted to shake them both!

The descriptions of Lapland are beautiful and although not somewhere I have ever visited, I felt I was there and experiencing it all with the characters.

Although some of this story is set in the UK, the story really comes alive when Esme is in Lapland. We follow her on her journey in all senses of the word. Her journey without Matilda and her journey in life as she tries to break the ties from the very toxic Warren.

It was a privilege to have been along for the ride and I really hope there may be more from Esme, Zach, Hortense and Brian to come!

I'm always a sucker for a book that involves a holiday, and so a book with Christmas in the title and Lapland in the blurb by an author that I love was always going to be a must read for me.

And I'm delighted to say it was everything I could have hoped for. The Amazon tag line for this book is completely correct, it truly is a heartwarming Christmas romance.

For me the story came alive the second Esme decided that she was definitely going to Lapland, and her personal development and self awareness improving while on the weeks holiday were fabulous to see. What she doesn't realise but the reader are clearly aware of is that she needs to leave Warren and the toxic relationship she is in, but she seems to struggle big time with a decision that seems so easy to anyone on the outside of what she was going through.

Esme ends up in a group of four while travelling and Hortense is a real tonic, she has such a fabulous personality that you can't help but like her. Brian is also travelling alone but whether he is over the break up with his wife, it is hard to tell. Although he was part of the group, he seemed quieter and more in the background.

And then there is Zach, who is gorgeous, but clearly hiding something. He seems to swing between being quite happy, to utter moodiness,

I loved pretty much every second they spent in Lapland, and the descriptions were fabulous. I felt as though I was there alongside Esme and her new friends, and its made me even more determined to eventually one year brave the thought of a holiday somewhere cold!

There were also some tricky subjects covered incredibly sensitively which added to the books appeal, and although even with Lapland, I didn't feel the book was overly festive, I would say its a fantastic book for any point over the winter.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I like this writer and had big expectations when I requested this book: all my expectations were met.
This book is lovely, well written, enjoyable, and full of fun.
The plot ins engaging and keep you hooked till the last page.
There're great characters and the entire cast is likeable and interesting.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC