I'm going to start with Poppy. She's the main character and shows up earlier in Poppy's Place in the Sun (the first book in this series). Recommendation - read that one first. It's where Poppy meets her French sweetheart, Leo, and the entire story starts. I think this is one of those books where the novella would make a great deal more sense.

ANYHOO . . . Poppy. The girl is weird. The first impression I got of her (other than she adores her dogs!) is that she's very insecure. To be fair, the last guy she was with dumped her and said he wasn't moving to France with her. That would suck. Big time. But she kinda spends a lot of the 49 pages second-guessing everything. But mostly, Leo.

Which brings us to character #2. Leo. I really hope there's more of him in the first book because he doesn't have a big part in the novella. I expected Christmas romance but Leo doesn't really show up until the end. And I didn't get much of a vibe from him at all. For a romance, I definitely would have liked to see more of that. He just seemed a bit uptight.

Then there's Joanne. She's in hiding because of a bad reality TV show she was on. She definitely seems like a nice person who loves dogs (a major plus!), but I didn't get a very good feel for her either, simply because of the length of the book. A downside to novellas.

About the plot . . .
It's a novella.

Really, that could sum up my entire feelings about the plot. But, for the sake of the review, I'll go deeper.

I loved the idea of the treasure hunt. And, being a Christmas romance novella, I kind-of already guessed the direction it was going to go. The little clues Leo and his father set up were so adorable, though I would have liked to see it a bit more from outside Poppy's narrative. She spent a lot of it wondering what was going on with Leo and reading into things so I didn't get as much from the treasure hunt as I would have liked.

Again, it's a novella. Short and to the point.

The ending of Christmas at the Chateau definitely made up for everything. Very sweet. Leo FINALLY opens up a bit. Not to mention, Lorraine Wilson adds more little puppies in at the end. Definite plus.

One last little gem - Peanut (the puppy) has a YouTube channel where she dances! This cracked me up because, when I was little, we had a little poodle who loved to dance. She'd get up on her hind legs, just like Peanut, and dance. So Poodie, this book made me think of you ❤️

This is a short, sweet read, very festive and atmospheric. The characters are lovely, the plot simple but fun, and it’s a lovely introduction to this author if, as I hadn’t, you’ve never read her work before. I shall be looking out for more of Lorraine’s books now.

This is a lovely short read at only 49 pages it is perfect for a coffee break. It is the follow up to Poppy’s Place in the Sun but can easily be read as a standalone. I hadn’t read the first book but easily read this.

Poppy is spending Christmas with her boyfriend, Leo at his chateau, what could possibly go wrong? A throwaway comment by Poppy turns Leo colder than the winter weather, which in turn makes her worry about their future.

There is a lot to like about this comfy Christmas read.

A perfectly escapist and heart-warming short story that is perfect for losing oneself into, Christmas at the Chateau is a sparkling and enjoyable romantic read that makes for ideal Yuletide reading.

Christmas is fast approaching and Poppy is looking forward to spending her first Christmas with her boyfriend Leo at his French chateau. With snow falling all around the castle, there is certainly plenty of magic in the air and Poppy feels as if she is living in a fairy tale. As she begins to embrace new traditions and starts exploring a cosy Christmas market straight out of a postcard, Leo comes up with a delightful game that will take her all around the chateau on a magical tour where each place holds a special memory for the two of them from where they had their first date to where they had their first kiss.

At the end of the treasure hunt, hidden beneath the mistletoe is a final surprise for Poppy and a question from Leo that will change her life forever…

Take a break from all the stress and hustle and bustle of the festive season with this quick, engaging and wonderfully romantic short story from Lorraine Wilson. Uplifting, emotional and packed with warmth, magic and charm, take some time out for yourself and indulge in this feel-good and fabulous short romantic read, Christmas at the Chateau.

At just shy of 50 pages, ‘Christmas at the Chateau’ is the perfect starter to anyone’s festivities this year. If you haven’t read the first book in the ‘A French Escape’ series, don’t fret because it’s fine to read this book as a standalone. Now, I really enjoyed the first book so I do advise you all to get it on your TBR piles!

For such a such a compact read, it sure does pack a punch! I am impressed at how much content Lorraine Wilson managed to fit into her storyline and, even so, everything in the story had its place. Of course I do wish that it was a full length novel, purely because I felt that Poppy and Leo had so much more to say, and I think that the situation that they found themselves in this time round, could have had more detail included in it instead of halting so abruptly.

That said, in my eyes, it’s a mere finer detail! I really enjoyed this pint sized, festive treat, and I absolutely love the four legged friends that fill this story with such humour and uniqueness.

I love Poppy. She’s an artist who has followed her dream to France, has adorable puppies and is in love with the perfect man. Christmas at the Chateau is a sweet romance, perfect for holiday reading. It’s short, but the characters are charming and kind. The treasure hunt was cute even if the treasure itself was a bit predictable. I do love a Christmas romance with a happy ending.

This is my first book from the author, Lorraine Wilson but this certainly won’t be my last. I will definitely be reading the first book in this series, Poppy’s Place in the Sun so I get all the background on the characters in this novella. I was able to enjoy this book, reading it as a stand alone though. This was a cute, heart-warming Christmas novella that definitely piqued my interest. This was a cozy romance that, even though it was very short, contained a complete story. This story is about friendship, family, romance, taking chances and fur babies. I loved the dogs in this story, especially who they were so accepted by everyone as members of the family. Poppy, the main female character, has some issues with insecurity. She is constantly worried that Leo will get tired of her and leave her like her last boyfriend did, to the point where I wanted to give her a shake. She is also a loving, caring person, who takes care of her friends. I don’t want to give the story away, but I will say that I am sure you will enjoy the treasure hunt in the story as much as the characters participating in it.

This is the first time I've read by Lorraine Wilson and it will certainly not be the last. Although brief, it was a wonderfully written book that captivated you. I do suggest reading the first book as I did get slightly lost with who was who but it was such a magical but emotional book that you will not doubt want to read the other one. I highly recommend this adorable book

This is a nice relaxing read that was a great way to pass a bit of time as it is a fairly quick read with it being novella length. I liked the character development and the worked well with the story.

I thought that the plot was well developed but it was a little slow in places for me so that has dropped my rating from 5 stars down to 4 stars but it was still an enjoyable read but personally I would have liked a little more 'action'. It was a nice read for this time of the year.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, I really enjoyed it!

Character development

When the book starts, I immediately take a liking to Poppy. She seems like a sweet woman, although she’s clearly a very anxious person who is prone to overthinking basically everything. I love the fact that she has a small herd of dogs, two of which are Chihuahuas. I also have a house full of dogs, and we coincidentally both have a Chihuahua named Peanut! I really feel for her when she is dealing with her mother, and the passive aggressive comments that her mother makes to her on what appears to be a regular basis. Leo seems to be an amazing catch! He’s thoughtful, handsome, an animal lover, and calm, which I think is a nice complement to Poppy’s anxious personality.

Overall impression

While I haven’t been to France (yet), it does seem like the perfect setting for a Christmas romance. The author clearly has first hand knowledge of the region, and the writing was descriptive enough that while reading, I almost felt as if I was magically transported to France. I was glad that I was reading an ebook though, because there was a lot of French used in the story, and I don’t speak any French at all. The Kindle translation feature came in handy for me. I loved the role that the Chihuahuas played in the story, and their behavior was on point – my Chihuahuas act the same way, although I can’t get any of mine to dance. Overall, it was a sweet book that was the perfect length. There was a very romantic tone to it, and I think it would appeal to a wide range of readers. While it’s Christmas themed, there aren’t any overly religious aspects, so this was the perfect read, even for a Grinch like myself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novella, and it’s the first book that I have read by this author.⠀
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With it being a novella I was left wanting more, so I can’t wait to read more by Lorraine Wilson.⠀
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“Christmas at the Chateau” was a lovely heartwarming read, and I loved Poppy’s love for all things Christmas!!! She also has the most adorable dogs which play a huge role in this gorgeous festive book. It gave me the perfect Christmas feel and really got me in the spirit!! A wonderful Christmassy read 😍⠀
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I give “Christmas at the Chateau” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

I was drawn to Christmas at the Chateau because of the gorgeous cover, it really did make me want to curl up in front of a fire with a glass of Baileys to read it!

Poppy is living in France and will be spending her first Christmas there with her boyfriend Leo and his family at their chateau. She’s looking forward to it but she can’t stop herself second guessing what other people think so she ties herself up in knots worrying about what might happen in the future.

This is a romance novella and I loved reading about Poppy and Leo and was hoping they would get a happy ever after with Leo. I loved that it’s also a story about friendship – the bond Poppy has with her room-mate Joanne was really lovely.

Having said all of that I have to admit that my favourite characters were Peanut and Pickwick – the gorgeous dogs that live with Poppy! I loved that Peanut is a self-taught dancer and has a YouTube channel, it just warmed my heart and made me smile!

I didn’t realise when I got this novella that it’s the second in a series but enough is explained that you don’t need to have read the first book. It works well as a standalone but I loved the characters enough that I want to know more about their back stories so I will be buying the first book in this series so I can catch up soon.

Christmas at the Chateau is the perfect novella to read in the busy lead up to Christmas as it’s short and can be read in an hour or so, it gives such great escapism and gets you totally in the mood for the festive season. It’s full of romance and Christmas, and dancing dogs… what more can you possibly want? I recommend this one.

I first met Poppy and her little pack of rescue dogs when I read and reviewed Poppy’s Place In The Sun. It was lovely to see that she had moved on and was now head over heels in love with Leo the hunky French vet.

It’s now Christmas and Poppy will be spending it at a magnificent chateau owned by Leo’s parents. I thoroughly enjoyed learning all about the different French Christmas traditions. Unfortunately for Poppy her interfering mother is far from happy not to have her home for Christmas and Poppy feels her anxiety rising as Christmas Day approaches.

This is a lovely festive quick read filled with romance and an irresistibly cute trio of dogs.

A Christmassy novella, full of feel-good vibes. 

Poppy decision to spend her first Christmas in France isn't a popular one with her family. Her boyfriend, Leo's father is unwell so it's more practical for them to spend the holiday at his family's château. She's looking forward to embracing new traditions and exploring the area to discover how they celebrate. Yet, despite her outward optimism, she's worried about how secure her future is in this beautiful part of the world. 

I read this in one sitting and quickly became enveloped within the beautiful French backdrop. Having not read the previous book about Poppy, it's easy to pick this one up as a standalone novel. There's just enough back-story to fill in the gaps. For a short book, the author packs lots of action and fascinating details into the pages and my favourite part is the treasure hunt. Although I sussed out quickly where the clues were leading, I liked how it's presented and the outcome. 

If you like dogs of all shapes and sizes, there a handful of four-legged characters adding their brand of charm and appeal. Their humans; Poppy and Leo are people you'd like to have as friends and the supporting cast are an equally likeable crowd, some of which will be known to those who have already read, Poppy's Place in the Sun. 

If you're looking for a quick fix to get you into the spirit of Christmas, this is a book to curl up with and enjoy along with a mug of cocoa or a glass of mulled wine. 

***arc generously received courtesy of One More Chapter via NetGalley***

This book is a Christmas Novella so it was a short story.
This book is a sequel but reads well as a stand-alone book.
This book is a sweet romantic story in a beautiful snowy location.
This book left me with a smile on my face and a warm glow.

This story was short, sweet, festive, and French! A small book with a big heart! This is the second book in the French Escape series and although I think it could be read as a standalone I think I enjoyed it more because I had read the previous book. Poppy and Leo met and fell in love in the first book. Now it is Poppy’s first Christmas in France and she is filled with holiday cheer and insecurities. It’s like she can’t believe that Leo actually loves her, this did get a little tedious but I get it. Despite her insecurities Poppy is such a fun and whimsical character. I loved all the emails between her and her BFF and mom back in the UK. The treasure hunt was loads of fun. And the dogs still were as adorable as ever! The perfect book to curl up with on a lazy afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate and your furry friend by your side.

This book in emojis. 🇫🇷 🎄 🎁 🐶

*** Big thanks to One More Chapter for my copy of this book ***

WARNING: This novella contains content that will cause you to deep-sigh, daydream and very possibly want to move to France!

Poppy prepares to spend Christmas in France with the love of her life Leo, at his family’s Chateau. As romantic and dreamy as that sounds, Poppy experiences insecurity about her future which are made worse by her family’s doubts. Turning to her friends for support and snuggling with her furry four-legged pals, Poppy manages to joyfully stay in the festive mood.

The highlight for Poppy and friends, is a treasure hunt that Leo has organized. As the cryptic clues begin to take a more romantic turn, what magical surprise awaits Poppy as she reaches the end?

A heart-warming, grab-a-mug-of-hot chocolate, Christmassy, festive romance that will sweep you off your cozy-slippered feet.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the read of Lorraine Wilson’s, Christmas at the Chateau, and to Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on the blog tour.

The opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley, and One More Chapter for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Oh my gosh thank goodness this was a short story because it was too much cuteness to handle more than that! I think having short story holiday novels are such a nice little palate cleanser in between a bunch of fantasy or other hard topics that we read about in books.

So apparently our main character Poppy is going to be spending Christmas in France for the first time with the current love of her life Leo. Although her parents are a little upset that she isn’t going home, but since Leo’s father is very sick, she wanted to make sure that she could give him some emotional support in case something happens to his father.

I hope that you guys get to enjoy this one and just spend maybe like an hour or less getting to know Poppy and her cute little dogs. Oh, and Leo as well. I think Wilson did a great job giving me someone to root for from the very beginning. I’m pretty sure it was her email to her best friend that sold me on her. It was super cute!

A charming sequel to Poppy's Place in the Sun, its almost Christmas, and Poppy is looking forward to Christmas at the Chateau with Leo. Poppy is in love and suffering from all the insecurities that go with that state of mind. Her emails with her friend keep her positive, which is just as well as her mother is less than supportive.

There are lovely animals in this story, which provide humour and sentimental moments. The story is incredibly romantic and manages to tell a lovely festive tale in a few pages. This allows the reader to experience a Christmas story, in a short time, which makes it perfect for the commute to work, or when you have an hour or so to spare.

I have read most of this author's books, which always have lovely settings, strong romance, and often an animal or two to complete the treat, this one is no exception and is a perfect festive read.

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

It is rare for me to give 5 stars to such a very brief book. This one is heart warming.
Not only will it put you into a holiday mood but it is sweeter than Christmas peppermint candy.
I caught on quite quickly but never lost interest in how things would unfold. It might surprise you.