Organising a Christmas in a castle in Cornwall? This premise alone sold me on this book and it didn’t disappoint.
This was a really fun read, that still touched on some surprisingly dark topics. I loved the aspect of a completely mismatched group of family and friends coming together for the holidays, and making each other better and more open. Every character seemingly started as a cliche and became so much more whole and well-rounded as the book went on which was really enjoyable to experience. The romance between Bill and Ivy wasn’t my favourite, although I think a lot of this may be to do with the fact that the aftershave he used was such a mystery and so hyped up to be something incredible and then it was revealed that it’s the aftershave my dad uses. Also the situation with Fliss and her husband was quite frustrating because it does irk me when relationship issues all stem from a lack of communication.
Overall, this book definitely lives up to its title of a cosy Christmas read and it made me want to start making my own decorations, bake, and put the Christmas tree up far too early.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy!

Christmas in a Cornish castle?! Definitely, yes please! A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is a most enticing, feel-great, cosy Christmasy read. This is thanks in major part to the two lead characters, who make you fall in love with them right as they fall in love with each other.

Talk about social media hijacking of life and, even worse, Christmas!! Ivy is a window stylist for a major department store and all-round, make it look fantastic image projector. She covers up her own pain and grief behind layers and layers of actions meant to help others. She does nothing to help or forgive herself and hides the physical scars of past mistakes behind stylish hairstyles and cute hats.

The story is told only from Ivy’s perspective and so we get to know her motivations, worries and despair very well. Yet, through her interactions with Will and his responses, we get a very good picture of him as well.

Will has his own baggage from the past to bear. He’s sarcastic, ironic, handsome, capable and hurting more than anyone can realize. He finds in Ivy a way to connect with a happier time in the past. He also finds himself, albeit after many muck-ups, the subject of her fairy godmother ways. In return, he hopes to help her find a way to the light at the end of her dark tunnel.

The relationship that develops between these two is fraught with conflict and challenges. However, they both find in each other a lifeline that is worth holding on for.

The secondary players all add to the overall enjoyment of the story. Keith (Will’s new-age surfer Dad), Miranda and Ambrose are the characters who provide us with much comic relief, especially as Keith continuously reminds everyone to ‘carpe those effing diems’. His live-in-the-moment outlook is most refreshing and necessary amidst a sea of people, young and older, glued to their electronic devices and committed to projecting the most picture perfect versions of themselves for social media.

The only negative I found was that the story does drag a bit. Up to almost a third into the tale it’s all about, ‘Oh my goodness this is missing, Libby is going to be mad. We have to fix it.’ Over and over again. However, a few juicy tidbits are also thrown in about Ivy’s past accident and we are given a few telling glimpses of Bill. By the second half of the book, the stage is fully set and readers can get into the action and forward momentum of the narrative.

Overall, I found this book to a most delicious and enjoyable Christmas read. The ultimate message is, Christmas and life is meant to be enjoyed and spent with those you love. Oh, did I mention the morning baking wars….? You’ll have to read to find out more.

I give A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall 4/5 delectable espresso shots!

What a delightful festive read which totally lives up to its title this story proved to be!

Ivy Starforth really is a star. She's been given the task of helping create the right setting for lots of Instagram festive shots by arriving early at the already flamboyant Cornish Castle that her friends and others will be staying at for two weeks of festivities. The only problem is they've accidentally hired a different castle - one that is more used to catering for minimalistic Stag parties rather than festive families. She's already got her hands full creating the required setting but when she discovers that the man in charge is someone she met years ago whilst on holiday with her now ex and that he is not exactly full of seasonal joy or anticipation, there are going to be problems!

Last Christmas was filled with unhappy memories and Ivy literally still has the scars to prove it. Despite that, she's eager to ensure all goes well for the twenty guests staying at the castle and, with help from the silver surfers, she's going to do her best to sort it out for everyone but doesn't expect anything for herself. They say never appear with children or animals and Ivy is about to have a Christmas with both!

This is a fun read, one where so many of the attitudes and behaviours of the characters are altered by their interactions. There are lots of laugh out loud moments, though the one at the donkey sanctuary has to be one of my favourites - though I'm really glad it happened to Ivy and not me. Bill is a reluctant hero so much of the story, though there are times when I had to wonder just what he was hiding. There are great revelations at the end which tie up all the lose ends and put that grin back on my face.

If you enjoy festive family stories, packed with humour, mishaps and romance, grab yourself a copy of this lovely story and have yourself a cosy Christmas read, wherever you may be.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This beauty just came out and I freaking loved it SOOO much! I read it in two sittings and it totally melted my heart.

So, our main character Ivy was given the job - to give a makeover to a rental at the Cockle Shell Castle and make it Instagram perfect for her friend's sister's Christmas. The only problem is that the task seems to be impossible. Starting with the supposed caretaker being her long-ago holiday crush, and ending in the fact that nothing is nearly ready for any Instagram-able moments. But Ivy will not give up on the perfect Christmas she is designing, and nothing will make her stop.

This book is filled to the brim with interesting characters. There's a ton of them but somehow I managed to not only keep track of them but also, enjoy their moments. There's a lot of different family-relationships in this book and everyone has their unique own personality. I loved that there was a mixture of character's ages in here - it made it very heart-warming to see Christmas through everyone's eyes.

As for the romance... I freaking loved it! The chemistry was totally there from the start, but I loved how slow and natural it developed. I really liked Ivy and her dog person's personality. She was adorable and an incredible person.

I loved how the book was divided by days - it made it so much easier to track all that was happening, plus it made it feel more exciting to see the days passing and reaching Christmas. It felt more personal and exciting.

Another thing I really liked is that it managed to be both light, which I was expecting, and with some tough moments too which I loved. There's a reason why Ivy is working during Christmas instead of just with her family. There's just a bit of everything in this book and everything works out nicely, you know? Family problems, riches, online-life vs reality, grief... There's so much to this book.

I absolutely loved how happy and warm-hearted this book made me feel. I couldn't stop reading it, for how invested I was in the characters! Plus all those sweets, buns, cakes, gingerbread and what-nots made me want to start Christmas baking now, so badly! This is an amazing start to my Christmas readings and a book that I will for sure want to re-read - it's such a feel-good book! Loved it!

If you like Christmas filled with family members and a lot of lovable turbulency, this is for you! I couldn't recommend this one more to all you Christmas fanatics like me!

I was in the mood for a festive, humorous and sweet Christmas story and this was the perfect match.
I loved the quirky and well written cast of characters and the lovely setting that made me wish to be there.
The plot is cute, engrossing and entertaining.
It was an excellent reading experience, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Full of festive charm, fun and fabulous settings. This is the perfect cosy romance full of humour and poignancy. Contemporary, but tinged with old-world charm and values. It gets you in the holiday mood from the first page, even if it is only the middle of October.

The story is told from Ivy’s point of view. Determined to make this Christmas the antithesis to the previous years, where she suffered a terrible accident, she agrees to style a rental property for her best friends sister, who wants to make a festive impact on Instagram. Ivy is a full-on character, despite the setbacks she’s had. She barely takes a breath, whether she’s happy or angry, and this flaw makes her easy to empathise and like.

Meeting her dream man again, several years on floors her, but only momentarily. She’s single now and the temptation to continue what they started before is great. Christmas is clearly not his thing, and that jars, and ramps up the conflict, and the laughter.

This story has a cast of characters reminiscent of ‘Love Actually’ but they add to the festive atmosphere. and the tensions that are always prevalent among acquaintances, family and friends at this time of year. As everyone strives for Christmas perfection, golden memories, and in this case Instagrammable moments.

The real world meets the virtual one. What results, is the true meaning of friendship, family and Christmas, and some lovely romantic moments.

I received a copy of this book from One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

When Ivy and dog Merwyn arrive in Cornwall to make festive preparations for a friend’s lavish family Christmas, she gets more than she has bargained for.

Number One, Cockle Shell Castle turns out to be small, sparsely furnished and completely uninviting.

Number Two, there is a naked man sitting in the hot tub!

Not only that, Bill slash Will looks surprisingly familiar and certainly nothing like the elderly caretaker she was expecting.

Ivy is trying to overcome a terrible year, yet she is feisty, funny and caring enough to ensure that her friends and their families have the best Christmas ever. When the job of making the castle ‘Instagrammable’ looks hopeless she digs deep and pulls out some truly inspirational ideas.

There are many characters but each one is so individual and quirky, it’s never confusing. As well as main characters, Ivy and Bill, there is a gang of silver surfers, eco-warriors, sex-crazed pensioners and loads of petulant children! With everyone so different will Ivy be able to deliver a Christmas to suit everyone?

You can always rely on Jane Linfoot’s novels to bring warmth, humour and a little heartache and this was no exception. There is laugh out loud moments and other times when I shed a few tears, However, on the whole, it is truly ‘feel good’ and a perfect Christmas read.

A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is a new holiday offering by Jane Linfoot. The story centers around Ivy Starforth, a thirtyish department store designer. Ivy gets the unbelievable opportunity to work for her best friend’s Kardashian like sister to design, decorate, and be the resident photographer for their stay at Cockle Shell Castle along the Cornish coastline. She has more than enough time accrued to take off for the job, but is somewhat surprised when it is granted at the holidays, the store’s busiest time. Ivy is in great hopes an exciting adventure such as this will help her outlook after the awful year she has experienced.

Ivy packs up her little Corsa along with her shared dog Merwyn and heads out of London and towards the Southwest. When she arrives at the castle she is surprised to find the caretaker is someone she met years before at a ski holiday. Although she hadn’t seen Bill since, she had never forgotten him or the rapport they had shared. It was a shame they were each on the trip with others. But now he seems arrogant and dismissive, but she is there to do a job.

Join Ivy in a quirky adventure as she creates a shabby chic holiday getaway for a group of upper class adults and 9 unusual children. Enjoy the quirky group of silver surfies as they join in the fun. The transformations of the castle may be nothing compared what happens for the people spending Christmas there.

I enjoyed this book and do recommend it!

This story had me a bit bemused at sometimes, I could not tell who was speaking, which is very confusing. Although Ivy and Bill, did not entice me into their corner, the story is still an interesting and entertaining one none the less, even with it being a wee bit muddled. It is a mild entertaining cozy romance.

Such a lovely festive story, very enjoyable. I must say I found it a little bit slow to begin with but when it got going it was really such a great story. This is the perfect festive story perhaps my favourite this year.

What a sweet and cosy christmas read this was.I really enjoyed reading this and escaping to another world. It is definitley one of those feel good christmas books that needs a log fire and hot chocolate to accompany it. I thought this was a wonderful christmas romance that is sure to get you in the festive spirit. This has got to be one of my favourite festive reads this year.

I love Christmas stories, I enjoy romance, I enjoy humour and I like to have characters I can connect to, so, this book was a winner all the way around. This is the first book I have read by Jane Linfoot, but it will definitely not be my last.

When I first started the story, I felt like I was dropped in the middle of something, but very quickly it all sorted itself out. Ivy was hired to help Libby with her Christmas Instagram presence. She headed off to the castle Libby rented for two weeks to prepare the last minute touches. What she was not prepared for was a rather small, unadorned, sparsely furnished castle, with no wifi, minimal phone reception and the man she had pined over for years. Bill was just as shocked to see Ivy. What follows is a flurry of decorating and preparing for Christmas celebrations for 20 plus.

I enjoyed this Christmas story with all its bumps. The characters are all flawed and/or dealing with something. We have spoiled children, marriages falling apart, a woman in her sixties who is desperate to get married, a bunch of happy go luck senior surfers, overachievers, and two main characters with a lot of baggage. They spend two whirlwind weeks togethers and find out that there is so much more to life than vlogs, instagram, videogames and shopping. Ivy and Bill two-step around each other, neither wanting to take the first step to begin a relationship. They both have baggage to overcome first and they eventually help each other to do that. I love Bill’s father. He is so easygoing and smart too. The kids even chilled out and began to enjoy this no-technology holiday. I will say there were a lot of characters and I often had to stop and figure out which child was speaking, but that didn’t deter my enjoyment of this story.

This was a good Christmas story with the spirit of Christmas shining through. There were a lot of humorous moments where I laughed out loud, particularly the incident at the donkey sanctuary. I particularly enjoyed the ending of the story as it wrapped up all the various situations and storylines nicely. A Christmas story that I recommend to anyone who loves Christmas, romance, family relationships and second chances. I received a copy of this book from the publisher upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

A charming Christmas read that left me with a warm glow.

Linfoot is fast becoming one of my goto authors she combines the perfect amount of funny, cringeworthy, serious and heartfelt moments to make the most wonderful feel-good reads.

Ivy is hired to make Instagram-worthy pictures in a castle in Cornwall at Christmas - frankly, she would have done if for free but is happy to have the added bonus of a paycheck! Of course, nothing is plain sailing and the owner Bill (Scrooge personified) is not helping matters at all.... can they turn it around and make this a Christmas for the memory books or will it be one they would rather forget?

The characters are fabulous, they really jump off the page making you feel like you are sitting in the corner of the castle alongside them and their festive frolics. Brimming with, humour and hear this is the perfect holiday read.

The start was a bumpy because of my pet peeve but there was not one boring moment in all the story. We have our heroine (and narrator) who has had some tragedy in her life (trying my very best to keep it non-spoiler in here); a tragedy that has put restrictions (of her own making) on her life.

This is a story of how Ivy - our heroine - finds herself again with the help of Christmas magic, love of a non conventional family and love of a man she though out of her league (can't say why because that will be a big spoiler!).

The story showed so many aspects of life as we experience it these days. Some of them are as follows;

The kids: It will be awesome if we thought of them as little human with a mind of their own. it is after all kids who do not have preconceived notions of how things should be and are able to see through a situation and provide a perspective as fresh as newly fallen snow.

We are as good as we think we are: The author has done a fabulous job of showing that we are only as good good (beautiful?) as we believe ourselves to be. The journey Ivy had had from believing that she does not deserve any happiness to believing she can be as happy as she wants made me wonder about my own life. It made me want to slay some more of my dragons. An inspiration, really.

The curse of social media:  The irony is not lost on me as I am posting this on a social media website but yes, it shows how we have become slaves to social media. It shows how our lives have become more about showing people how everything is hunky dory and how we are living the best life when outside the picture frame, life is a mess. It is time to stop worrying about what the followers make of our life and live it to the fullest!

Dreams do come true: Ivy has had a fantasy for a long time. A fantasy she believed could never become a reality because of various reasons but this story shows that fate has it's own way of showing us we deserve all the happiness that we can reach for. It shows us that we have to be daring enough to dream and then they will turn to reality.

Recommended for: Everyone who loves Christmas and romance.

I'll admit the cover drew me to this more than the description. I was in the mood for a sweet Christmas book and this promised to deliver. I so wanted to love this book, but I had to settle for liking it. The first half was excruciatingly slow, but it did eventually pick up some. I just wish the characters had been a little more realistic and likable.

A festive makeover for a castle was supposed to be easy! Join Ivy in bringing together a Christmas miracle for her high flying boss. If you enjoy mayhem with a touch of romance and friendships put to the test you’ll be at home in this fun and entertaining read.

What a fun read! It definitely lived up to its title in being cozy. I only wish I had read it closer to Christmas next to the fireplace and Christmas tree.

Lovely festive read. It was a heart warming romance. It was a wonderful book to read. It was well written and flowed well.

I loved Ivy and Bills story. Ivy works in a London department store as a stylist. She is paid by her childhood friend Libby, to set up Libby’s holiday let , a castle in Cornwall and to make it Instagram ready!
A major task when Bill the owner is used to stag parties renting the castle . Bill and Ivy have already met many years before in Chamonix when they were very different people life events having changed them.
Descriptions and locations were excellent, you felt you were in the castle with Ivy, Bill and the crowd. There was a vast cast of very different characters involved in this story each with their own story to tell.
This book was great fun to read, lots of humorous moments, secrets to be uncovered and the many instagram perfect photos to shoot!
A great Christmas read and a fantastic story- loved it and can recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Impulse and Jane Linfoot for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

I do love stories set in small communities, especially in my favourite part of the world, Cornwall. In this case it is in a castle, near to the village of St Aidan where others in this series of interconnected, but separate, stories are set.
Ivy, who is a visual merchandiser in a department store, arrives to set up the castle for Christmas for her friend Libby. who will arrive later with her family and friends. The idea is that the resulting Christmas will be posted on Instagram by Ivy on Libby's behalf.
She finds that the caretaker is someone that she knows from a previous holiday and that the castle isn't at all what Libby was expecting......
Full of charm, humour and romance this story really hit the spot for me, to the detriment of my sleep.