I am a big fan of Tilly Tennant's books and was looking forward to reading this Christmas story, having very much enjoyed her previous festive tales. I especially love the cover of this book, promising lots of snowy scenes and clear, crisp nights. Once opened, it proved a real page turner too; this was definitely a book I didn't want to put down - once started I had to finish.



The story revolves around Esme, who has run away from a life she no longer finds enjoyable to stay with her grandma, Matilda, who lives in a dreamy cottage in a sleepy little Derbyshire village. Esme is escaping the clutches of Warren, her cheating and controlling fiancé who turned out not to be what he seemed, although it cost Esme lots of friendships before she realised. When Matilda dies suddenly, Esme decides to fulfil her grandmother's dream of holidaying in Lapland and, hopefully, seeing the Northern Lights. This trip leads to more than a winter delight. Esme makes some new friends, including Zach, who she is attracted to, but finds a little mysterious. At the end of the holiday will she return to Warren, or will her life take a different direction?



I found this a lovely, rounded story, with some humour mixed in with the drama and romance. I was very worried for Esme, firstly that she didn't see Warren for what he was, and then that she might go running back to him; it was at times difficult not to feel angry with her. Zach, on the other hand, was just an all round nice guy, if a bit of a conundrum. Esme's older travelling companions injected most of the humour into the story. I think that this was a wonderfully Christmassy book, with all the snow and winter activities in Lapland added to the usual features at this time of year. I can recommend it to be read at any time of the year, but especially now, in the run up to Christmas.

Esme is running from her relationship problems when we meet her on the doorstep of her grandmother Matilda's home in Little Dove Morton. She needs to work out where to find the courage to make the break from the controlling - and very married - Warren. Her relationship has driven a wedge between her and her parents, and cost her many friends as Warren seeks to control every aspect of her life and isolate her as much as possible. She is doing well in finding her confidence again, and is rebuilding her relationship with her mum when sadly Matilda dies suddenly during a Christmas shopping trip. This sets Esme back terribly until she opens her grandmother's gift to her: tickets for two to Lapland. When Warren declines the offer of a free trip Esme has to decide whether to honour her granny's lifetime wish for her, or stay in England and accompany Warren to his mate's caravan in Clacton.
I was extremely infuriated with Esme at first as she dithered around the obnoxious Warren and his controlling ways, but I soon felt incredibly proud of her as she started making decisions which empowered her, finding strength in the memory of her beloved grandmother.
I found the characters Esme made friends with on her trip very entertaining, all very diverse in age and personality. They all had their own strengths and offered support and gems of life experience in their own way. The one to stand out for me was Hortense, an absolute gem of a person, who I expected to be extremely overpowering but turned out to be surprisingly caring in her own inimitable way.
As the Northern Lights elude the party the mood shifts, leaving Esme unsure of where she stands with the mysterious Zach. His mood changes quicker than she can keep track of and with rumours of there being more than just friendship between him and the tour organiser, Esme wonders whether to just put him out of her mind.
I'm not a big Christmas lover but the magic of Lapland and the real Santa's grotto came across in just the right amount in this festive tale. The emotion of Matilda's loss together with the turmoil in Esme's personal life are just the type of thing we feel more keenly during the festive period but I despite this I loved how the author managed to inject happiness into what could have been a quite depressing situation. Hope and the possibility of new beginnings from sad endings come through strongly but without being too "hearts and flowers" - the perfect balance for someone like me who doesn't really indulge in Christmas spirit in a big way.

This review will feature on my blog as part of the promotional tour later this month.

3.5 Stars Rounded

I have to start by saying that I adore Tilly Tenant and her stories, and the way she manages to craft characters that could be ripped from your life and put on the page. That being said – I had some seriously difficult times with Esme and her lack of self-awareness – and perhaps that was the point. So while this story started out a bit overly-angsty, with a not so surprise return from Esme’s moronic and abusive ex, complete with attempted bullying, guilt tripping and assorted other childish behaviors straight in the face of someone who was just starting to recapture her own feet beneath her…. I honestly thought that she would cave. And Kudos to Tennant for not allowing Warren’s influence to dismantle Esme once again.

As for the trip, the joy found in the atmosphere in Lapland, the inclusion of Brian and Hortense and their very ‘in your face’ affection that felt very much a ‘vacation romance’ at first, then took on a life of its own as the two are eminently suited. The attraction to Zach, and his grief balanced out by a genuine ability to see Esme as she is, not through her own lenses colored by the ever-insecure Warren, and the reticence that Zach showed early on that has Esme questioning his sexuality and finding that it made her far more comfortable and free in his company after years of being isolated by Warren that perfectly illustrated the slow dissolving of the walls built around Esme with plenty of encouragement by Warren, that isolated her and created an endless cacophony of self-defeating voices criticizing her every move. All with Zach’s help, even if his own behavior was often erratic and far too confusing for someone in Esme’s stage of growth.

But, with a careful eye (and ear) to the voice and wishes of Matilda in her head, the stand-off / show-down with Warren on the last night, and Esme’s own decisions to firm up plans to live at her house and not in an overpriced London flat, were clearly coalescing and showing her well on the way to healing and reconnecting with things lost during her relationship. Coming back a year later and discovering the slowly-progressing relationship with Zach, a renovated and reinvigorated cottage still filled with Matilda’s things but brighter and livelier because of Esme at the heart of things brought a lovely hopeful sense to the story, and showed the growth and change that Esme has achieved, once the weight of Warren was lifted away. Perhaps not a favorite of mine by Tennant, but one of her most skillful in the depiction of the changes that are possible, even when things seem most dire.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”https://wp.me/p3OmRo-a4S/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Esme Greenwood has very little self-esteem, she believed her ex that she didn’t have much going for her and she was lucky he was interested in her. She finds comfort in the arms of her Grandmother who helps Esme put things into perspective and to recover some of her confidence. She is happily cocooned in the warmth of her love and in her cottage. They discuss how she always wanted to go to Lapland to see the Northern lights but Esme ends up venturing there without her. This is the start of her adventures and into believing in the possibility of a better future. I did find this book a bit frustrating, especially at the beginning and found myself wanting to shout at my Kindle but I guess that that’s what this story is all about. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, great setting and characters with a plot that made you want to shout at the characters whilst loving it all the same. Overall a brilliant festive read.

This is a Christmas story with emotional ups and downs.

Esme has come to her beloved Grandmother, Matilda, to receive love and comfort. Esme found that Warren, her fiancee, was actually already married to someone else. Her family wanted Esme to leave Warren for a very long time. He is controlling and has emotionally abused Esme. But, she has never been able to admit that he is a jerk.

Slowly, Matilda has soothed Esme and provided her with a new outlook on life. They even discuss taking a trip to Lapland to see the Northern lights. It is a trip Matilda wanted to take when she was a young wife.

When Matilda suddenly dies, Esme finds that she had purchased tickets for them to take the trip together.

Within a very short time, Esme is back with Warren and he is back to pushing her to do things he wants and ignoring what she wants. When she asks him to accompany her as she takes the trip her grandmother had planned, he refuses and tries to bully her into getting the money back so they can do other things with the money.

Esme surprisingly decides to take the trip alone.

Since she is traveling alone, she get linked to 3 other single travelers. There are two older people who quickly become a couple. There is also a man, Zach, who has taken the trip in the past. The four of them are determined to travel as four new friends.

Esme begins to see the world from a new perspective. As Zach learns more and more about Warren, he starts saying the same things that her parents have been saying. Warren is an abusive bully.

This is a fun story. Esme's trip leads her to find new things about the world and to see how happy life can be if one tries.

Esme made me want to slap her on a regular basis. Never being willing to admit that she needed to get away from abuse, made her appear weak and mousy. That is not the person her parents and her grandmother knew.

Zach obviously has sorrow in his past, but in spite of that, he wants to make the trip fun for Esme. He is thoughtful and kind. It is also evident that he finds this trip both enjoyable and painful.

Ms Tennant writes really good stories. This plot moves along at a good pace. There were a few events which were obviously foretold. Overall, this is a well plotted story. She includes humor along with the drama.

It is quite satisfying when Warren finally gets his just desserts.

I believe that this story will make a nice feel good Christmas story for anyone who is looking for a new and different Christmas scene.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this story and my desire to go to Lapland is even greater now. There are some wonderful characters in the book, with the exception of one, the odious boyfriend Warren. Wonderfully written story.

I found this book to be a memorable romance, not the typical bland, happy ending that is forgotten once the book ends. I didn’t like Esme’s fiancé and found him to be irritating. I wanted so much more for Esme and was glad she asserted herself. I liked the destination and how the story ended. The only thing that would have made this book better was if their was an epilogue.

*I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was a cute, feel-good book. It's a simple premise, but executed fairly well. I loved the setting and it made me want to see the Northern Lights. Definitely adding that to the bucket list. The characters were great (except Warren), but I will say Esme did get on my nerves when it came to dealing with him. I understand it had to be in there, but it was extremely frustrating. It was on the borderline of being almost intolerable, but the story got better when they were on the way to/in Lapland.

I know exactly what I'm getting when I read a book like this (sweet, light, romance) and it met my expectations.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another Xmas book that I am reading well before the event. That being said this was a great read, romantic and quite funny in parts.

Another beautifully written novel by Tilly Tennant. It was romantic, heartwarming and a lovely story. The cover is quite simple but draws you in to it. I love the bright colours of the title, the dark sky and the snow drifting down. It's very festive and catches the eye.

The story follows main character Esme, and the first time we meet her is where she's standing on her grandmother Matilda's doorstep with tears running down Esme's face as soon as she sees Matilda. Esme has run away from ex-fiance Warren, after he had completely messed with her mind, made her feel worthless and made her lose so much weight she weighed less than what she did when she was 15 years old. Matilda lives in the beautiful Peak District and Esme soon feels at home again once she starts eating properly and getting some decent nights sleep.

They decide to plan a trip together to a place that Matilda has always wanted to go to - Lapland to see the Northern Lights. However, before they can even visit there, Matilda dies suddenly and Esme is at a lose end. Should she go in Matilda's memory? She soon decides that yes, she will go and she meets some people as part of a singles group. One of which includes Zach. As the trip gets underway, the pair grow close and sparks begin to fly between them. However, Esme receives several messages from ex Warren, telling her he's changed and to come back to him. When she realises that Zach has been hiding his own secrets, she doesn't know what to do. Stay with Zach even though he hasn't been completely truthful with her, or go back to Warren.

This is a lovely story, so interesting and unputdownable. I loved it. Thank you to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

An enjoyable story with a unique setting. I really didn’t like Warren (how can you) but enjoyed the rest of the group and their uniqueness.

This is a first for me by this author but won't be my last... I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Esme Greenwood seems to be going through a rough time (I think we can all relate on some level... I know I can)... Recently jilted by her cheating fiancé Warren, she escapes to Thimble Cottage in the Peak District, home of her beloved grandmother Matilda.

Matilda adores her granddaughter and helps put her back together again with comforting words, support and generous helpings of fruitcake (would have to be chocolate cake for me). They plan the trip of a lifetime together... to visit the glorious sights of the Northern Lights, somewhere Matilda has always dreamt of going.

Tragedy strikes and before they get the chance to go on their trip of a lifetime, Matilda passes away. Esme battles with her grief and in-decision about whether to go on the trip at all. After a suggestion of going with a singles group, and a bit of research, she gathers the courage to honour her grandmother's wishes and go on the trip on her own.
At the airport she meets up with Hortense, Brian, and Zach, (each with their own story to tell), from the singles holiday site.

Beneath the indigo skies of Lapland, Esme and Zach grow closer.
Zach, a handsome, brooding, out-of- work actor.

Esme is bombarded by messages from her cheating ex-fiancé promising he's changed, Zach is hiding something significant. Will her head be turned?

When a trip to the Northern Lights reveals the true extent of Zach's secret past... will there be any hope for Esme to get the happy ending that her grandmother wished for her?

A once in a life-time trip of discovery, learning to love yourself, finding yourself and taking back your life.
A heart-warming festive story set in a stunning location.

Once I started reading I just could not stop!!!

Thank-You Netgalley for my ARC.

Esme finally leaves her verbally abusive boyfriend and runs to her Grandmother's house for comfort and to get a new perspective on life. Her Grandmother always wanted to go to Lapland and see the Northern Lights in Santa's home town. When she collapsed when they were shopping, and died later at the hospital, Esme found the tickets she bought for them to go to Lapland for the Christmas holiday. Feeling adrift, she gives in and goes back to Warren, her boyfriend, who is constantly finding fault with her, and demanding of her. Finding the strength, she decides to go on the trip without him, since he didn't want to go with anyway. There she meets up with three other singles, including Zach. A good story, of progressing forward instead of stuck in the rut. Really enjoyed this book and author. Hard to put down. Highly recommend, and it will put you in the Christmas mood. Now I want to try Lakka.

I think I would have enjoyed this more if Esme wasn't so blind to Warrens obvious lies and bullying. I'm not sure how many times her parents, grandmother, friends, and strangers could have pointed out her blind stupidity without her saying ok wait a minute maybe alllllll of these people are in to something. Even after she Esme speaks to Shelly directly she still thinks Warren can do no wrong, which leaves us with a very dim and dumb main character. You'd think after spending months with her grandmother getting over this weasel she would have realized her stupidity, but no.

Either way I enjoyed the part of the story in Lapland for the most part. The characters were fun and it was nice to read about the scenery. The ending seemed forced as the reader loses a huge chunk of time. What happened in the year between the second to last and the last chapter? Who knows.

I am a big fan of Tilly Tennant's romance novels, as they provide great European settings and interesting characters. This latest novel has a bit of a dark side, with a controlling fiance' of the main character. It provides a really accurate picture of how an intelligent person can allow herself to be controlled like this, as well as the effect on her own self-image. In that sense, it provides a good service to the reader, to think about the health of their own relationships. That said, it's not a dark novel. It has some very touching aspects, as well as a glimpse into the Finnish region of Lapland. I enjoyed it tremendously, and will definitely put that area of Europe on my "bucket list" after reading this novel. If you're someone who loves travel and a good romance novel, I highly recommend anything Tilly Tennant writes, and especially enjoyed The Christmas Wish!

Loved, loved, loved this Christmas book. I would highly recommend it to all. Thank you Tilly Tennant for this wonderful story.

I really did not enjoy this book. I found the heroine to be rather unlikeable and a little whiney. The author used the classic romantic trope of misunderstanding to build tension between the characters, but it felt forced and unnatural. I had to make myself keep reading this book.

When Esme discovers her fiancée Warren has been cheating on her, she goes to stay with her grandmother Matilda in Derbyshire. Matilda helps Esme get over her relationship with Warren and put her life back together. While on a shopping trip together, sadly Matilda dies and Esme discovers that her grandmother had booked them on a trip to Lapland to see the Northern Lights.

Full of grief over Matilda’s death, Esme decides to make the trip to Lapland on her own. She meets up with Hortense, Brian, and Zach, also travelling to Lapland alone - each with their own story to tell. As Esme and Zach become close and with her ex Warren making a nuisance of himself, Esme has to decide wants she really wants from her life.

A heartwarming festive story set in a beautiful location. A delightful winter read.

Tilly Tennant has done it again such a fabulous cosy Christmas story. I only meant to read a chapter or two but have ended up finishing it in one sitting that's the sign of a great book!

Loved Esme and was really hoping the best for her throughout plus the scenery and setting of the story is just so festive!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.