Another fabulous read by samantha. I am relatively new to her books and love them, this is no exception.
I couldn't put it down once it got going and it didn't take long to get going. A community food bank is closing so the town decide to make it last by doing a calendar and theres always a hot man to tear you eyes away..
Theres alot of burning items for the fundraiser and alot of bridges to knock down before anyone can find love again but this book is about love and communities coming together when its needed mostly.i loved it. Would recommend this.

The Christmas Calendar Girls is a touching story about a community trying to save a food bank and in doing so, might just save itself. With Smalltown charm and characters that will make you laugh, sigh, and wipe a tear or two, Samantha Tonge really reminds us what this season is all about. I would love to see this in movie form.

Thanks to the Publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

A lovely, heartwarming winter read! I laughed (a lot), I cried, and I smiled like an idiot in public whilst reading on the train. What more could you want from a book?

This is a cosy christmas read however was predictable. The characters were all fun and there was a nice holiday spirit. The title did make me think that the radical calendar idea would be like the original calendar girls!

I didn't think the twists were that shocking - for example when it was her mother in law I guessed straight away!

Overall it was nice, easy read book to get in the Christmas spirit.

In this lovely tale, we are transported to the lovely Chesterwood. I loved the strong friendships in this book! I’m excited to read more from this author.

I was really happy to receive this book in exchange for a review. I was convinced it would feature nudity as a group of women raise money to support a local cause by creating a humorous calendar! However this book introduces us to three women (Fern, Cara and Davina) and how they plan to help save the local food bank by creating a ‘live’ advent calendar. The story was original and inspiring with a theme of friendship and romance throughout. I found each of the characters were very individually well created and likeable and would love to see where they end up in the future!
Fascinating book which I loved! Thank you for letting me read in exchange for a review x

Some stories whisk you away on magical journeys, suspending belief for a moment or two. Whilst others set a glow in your heart that burns brightly with love and light.....this book encapsulated that sentiment with every fibre of its being.

The writing had heart and soul with a keen sense of community spirit weaving its way perfectly throughout the narrative. I mean it's often easy to overlook those that need a bit of extra help at moments in life, as everyone has daily challenges and obstacles to face. But this book has shown exactly what can be achieved when a community comes together, fuelled by the art of Christmas spirit, to save a very much needed food bank that delivers so much to others.

Female friendship and solidarity is another outstanding theme that shines a light on some extremely special moments in the book. Choosing the right people to surround yourself with is key to a happy and enriching life, which is summed up perfectly among Fern and her friends. Speaking of Fern, I really can't fail to mention what a dream character creation she is. From the the start she was an absolute star in this story and the reason I reached for my Kleenex as often as I did. Her sincere and tenacious attitude to succeed in the fundraising stakes, with the most original idea I've ever heard, was both inspiring and heartwarming. She truly was the Christmas Star in this story.

So if you're looking for a festive read with the biggest heart, then look no further. The Christmas Calendar Girls is unique, special and bursting with festive community magic. I certainly won't be forgetting this tale anytime soon that's for sure.

What a wonderfully inspiring and feel good book, that will fill your heart with both the spirit of Christmas and that of the spirit of human kindness and really shows the importance of community and friendship.
This is the first book I have read by Samantha Tonge, I have no idea how I have let this talented author pass me by for so long – its true I walk around with eyes shut – I can definitely say that this will not be the last of her work, I am now on the hunt for more. I loved how Samantha drew me into the lives of the three women who do take centre stage; Fern (whom the story is told through) Davina and Cara, each has their own pasts, own problems. I love the relationship between Fern, Cara and Davina; they are true best friends, who go through highs and lows together and have always got each other’s back when needed; this book really shows the importance of having a handful of close friends in your life is and how magical female solidarity is.
Christmas in Chesterwood can only mean one thing, and that is the annual school charity fundraising and this year is no different, they will be creating Advent Christmas Calendars which they hope will bring joy and festive cheer to their village, especially at this time as their food bank is in trouble and a the brink of closure which will be disastrous for the whole community.
Single mother and widower; Fern has moved the little village of Chesterwood, where she is hoping to start a whole new life with her precious daughter; Lily. The last few years have been hard on both Fern and her daughter after the heart-breaking death of her husband, but as she has settled into village life the pain of her loss has started to ebb with the help of her new life and her good friends Cara and Davina. As Fern starts to work within the food bank more and more, she meets mysterious and handsome Kit who opens her eyes to a part of society that she has never fully understood and as he does so she starts to think that maybe she can be happy and find love again.
Kit is a mystery, there is far more to him then we first think, yes there are skeletons in his past, things that he would rather not share with Fern, he has a suspicious element about him that made me both aware of him and curious to know more. But essentially I saw him as a good man who has tried to move on with his life and put his personal demons in the past where they belong.
What I really loved about this is just how real and relatable it is, with its diverse cast of characters, who all have their own story to tell, each having their own lives difficulties but the way that these woman band together to try and save a food bank really touched my heart. The fact that the central story line is all about the food bank really brought this beautiful story into reality, it really brought the subject of food banks and the plight o those who need to use them and their own stories into the spotlight and it does make you evaluate you own lifestyle and just how privileges most of us are.
I was completely taken with this book, even before I read it. The cover alone is the prettiest thing, it caught my eye and made me want to pick it up, then the story within the gorgeous cover is gorgeous, it is one of those stories will stay with you, you won’t look at Christmas in the same again, I can guarantee that it will make an impact on you. I have a real soft spot for little village stories, where it’s not just the main character’s quest for happiness we are following, but that of a handful of secondary characters too.
Overall this is a charming, joyful and very Chrsitmassy story that will warm your heart, the writing is passionate and strong, it flows and takes the reader on real festive journey or heartache and discovery, very highly reccomended!

Fern and her friends are discussing fundraising ideas when they find out that the local foodbank is threatened with closure due to rising rents. They brainstorm ideas until they decide to try creating a living Advent Calendar on their estate. We get to know about what’s happening in the community and Fern’s increasing awareness of the lovely Kit who feels he’s not good enough for her. I really enjoyed the realness of Fern and her friends’ experience. Its nice that the issues facing many people are addressed without preaching and feeling totally organic. It is really what Christmas should be about caring for others. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Blurb :
Christmas is meant to be a time of giving, so with Chesterwood food bank under risk of closure Fern knows just what to do to save it. She's going to get the town to create a living advent calendar.
Fern, and her best friends, call for help from the local community to bring this calendar to life. When Kit, the new man in town, offers his assistance Fern's heart can't help but skip a beat (or two).
As they grow ever closer, Fern must admit that Kit's breaking down the barriers she built after the death of her husband. But his past is holding him back and Fern doesn't know how to reach him. No matter how hard she tries.
In this town, Kit's not the only one with secrets. Domestic goddess Cara is behaving oddly, burning meals in the oven and clothes whilst ironing, and Davina's perfect children are causing trouble at school leaving her son, Jasper, desperately unhappy.
Can the Christmas Calendar Girls find a way to bring the community together in time to save the food bank, while still supporting their families and each other? Can Fern find love again with Kit?

My Thoughts :
I love anything by Samantha Tonge and was delighted to see she had a festive book out in time for Christmas.
Best friends, Cara, Fern and Davina all live in the same estate of Birchwood. When the local food bank is threatened with closure due to a rent increase, Fern and her friends are determined with the help of the community to raise money to keep the foodbank open.
Their plan is to do a living advent calendar around the town for 25 days. With everyone helping out they may just save the food bank.
I loved the characters and learning about their lives and what brought them to where they are now. Especially hard was learning of how Fern lost her husband to cancer, which effects everyone at some point.
A beautiful well written magical Christmas story which brings the whole community and friendships together. Samantha Tonge has a way with words and brings the whole story to life aswell as touching upon real life events. Looking forward to her next release.

Still think it is a little early to be be reading Christmassy titles but I have to say despite the title this wasn't overly so. The whole reason for the girls doing an advent calendar in their village is to raise funds to save the local food bank - a sign of the times maybe that food banks are needed in what seems like quite an affluent village. Some quite sad undertones in this book but it makes you realise that Christmastime isn't a happy period for some people. Overall it is a story of love and friendship and getting through the tough times together.

I have enjoyed all books by Samatha Tonge that I have read. She has a way with characters and storylines and this was wonderful with an added Festive touch.

A wonderful, heartwarming story of a community coming together to save a food bank that's been threatened with eviction, right before Christmas. Spearheaded by the widowed Fern she puts everything she has into the Living Calender and brings together the community, families and at the same time discover love and friendships that will truly last. A beautiful, sweet story with amazing Christmas windows and food I swear I can smell! Definitely a fun Christmas read you can enjoy in an afternoon or evening!

Awwww what an absolute delight this book was. It was my first festive read of the year and the premise had me hooked from the moment Victoria at Aria Fiction first told me about it. 'A living Calendar" OMG I so want to organise one!!

What's not to love about the Christmas Calendar Girls. It has it all, it truly is a magical, read that had me totally hooked. It pulled at my heart strings and certainly gave me food for thought. It made me question what is important in life, when is it better to give rather than receive, to find acceptance within ourselves, to accept it's sometimes ok to follow your heart rather than your head. To look beyond the obvious, things aren't always what they seem at face value. It was desperately sad in places but counter-balanced with hope, fun and happiness in others. It's about love, friendship, solidarity and support - it's about friends, family and a community coming together to support and help each other. It's about picking your battles, knowing when to fight for what's right or when to acquiesce. It's what would appear at first glance to be a light, easy read and turns out to be anything but - it has depth, the characters and setting providing solid foundations for the story to unfold. It revolves around three friends, their friendship, their families and their community. They come together to support a fund raising event to save a vital public service, the local food bank.

The story sees 'The Living Calendar' brought to life and I was giddy with excitement muttering to myself what an amazing idea it was and wondering when and how I could replicate it. It really was brilliant, I loved every aspect of it and dare you not to be touched by this incredible read.

I highly recommend this Christmas Read, it's definitely one readers will be sorry to have missed.

A light, lovely, fun, festive, holiday read...with a deeper social message!

No one can combine themes like Samantha Tonge.

On it's surface this is a wonderful cup of Chick Lit cocoa...but dig deeper and you just might learn something about life, friendship, and the world around you.

5 stars, wonderful!

OMG I just love the cover for this book - it is just perfect!!

I love a good Christmas story and this is up there with the best I have read so far in 2019.

I was already a massive fan of this author’s works and was genuinely excited to see that she had a new release out and I was eagerly waiting for the copy of the book to land on my Kindle and I have to say that I had read the book from cover to cover within a few hours of starting it, it really is a fabulous story!

I thought that the characters were superb, so well developed and they worked brilliantly with each other too.

It is 5 stars from me for this one, it is well written, I loved the setting and location, the writing style was perfect as I have come to expect from this author and it is the perfect festive read – very highly recommended and cannot wait to read what she releases next!!

When I was told about the book I did think for a minute that it would be a Christmas themed book about girls making a nude calendar, like the movie ‘The Calendar Girls’ but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It turned out to be an incredible fund-raising idea of people hosting a living Advent calendar, taking turns to have a display in their front windows throughout December. I really loved the concept, and if I lived in a more sociable location it sounded like something I would have loved to have done myself.

I loved the relationship between the three women, Fern, Cara and Davina, it was so completely supportive and non-competitive. Fern, in particular, was a strong female character, finding her own strength after the death of her husband. I loved Cara’s storyline, and the way in which it was resolved.

As leading men go, Kit was just about perfect book boyfriend material, with a sexy viking vibe, and a mysterious troubled past. His kindness shone from the page every time he was present.

Samantha Tonge deals with some serious subjects within this novel, each handled with sensitivity and empathy. I appreciated the subject of food banks being raised, and the storyline left me feeling that I really need to plan some donations to make to my local food bank particularly for the Christmas season. I hope other readers feel the same way that I do.

I thought this was a charmingly festive story, and is absolutely perfect reading for a cosy winter evening, curled up on the sofa with a steaming hot drink and a fluffy throw.

'The Christmas Calendar Girls' is out now from the wonderful Aria Fiction, in ebook format-what better way to get into the festive spirit and banish the winter blues than tucking into a blanket with a huge mug of coffee, cake and this book?

It genuinely is the perfect antidote to miserable, rainy days where no one seems to know what is going on-especially me-but everyone seems so unhappy.This lush story with an awesome redemptive arc pays no heed to the dismissive, sniffy attitude that still exists when it comes to womnen's fiction(give me strength, these writers are bloody troupers finding the heart and soul of their characters and making you care about them! It's not an easy thing to do at all)

So, the book itself, a perfect slice of fiction wrapped around nuggets of everyday life for the 3 calendar girls -Fern, Davina and Cara-all have their own reasons for distracting themselves from every day life by throwing themselves into a campaign to save the food bank in their hometown of Chesterwood.

Each one of us is only 3 wage slips away from using a food bank-on average-and they are a vital necessity for many people in a day of such wealth that we really should be appalled that anyone needs them . Anyhow, off my high horse, this issue is dealt with sensitively and thoughtfully, and each of the three women start to gather a community around them with this genius idea of a living advent calendar. It not only explores the challenges to creating such a scheme, but also the benefits to everyone when they start thinking of others at this time of year, a time made for giving and being selfless. And in giving, the girls recieve so much more than they bargained for...

I was immediately draw to the character of Fern-her backstory was just so sad and how she uses her job as a journalist to draw attention to the girls' scheme is a neat juxtaposition with how she is diving into work as an outlet for the grief she feels about her hsband's death. Her attempts to keep her and her daughter going through the most difficult of times-moving house,starting afresh with a child after losing a husband-really moved me. Her relationship building with village newcomer,Kit, has the reader totally invested in them becoming an item!

Fern and her friends are the center of the story but as the advent calendar idea spirals to involve the whole village, you get to see glimpses of other people's lives as it touches on very real issues, without being overtly political, just sadly, very real .

I felt it was a beautiful piece of writing, this time of year is always a smorgasbord of reading for me as you have the creepiness of the Halloween horror stories nestled next to the Christmas and festive novels-completely spoilt for choice!
'The Christmas Calendar Girls' is my first book by Samantha Tonge, but I have already chosen my second-it'll be 'Game Of Scones' so that I can read the followup, 'My Big Fat Christmas Wedding'!

Thanks so much to Vicky at Aria for the blogtour invite! Don't forget to check out the other wonderful blogtour hosts thoughtout this week, and next, as Aria really gets the Christmas spirit flowing!

This is one of those wonderfully festive books that you can really imagine being played out as a gorgeously cosy Christmas film.
More than just a typical feel good book though, there is a level of depth with the readers eyes being opened to a problem that may well be reflective of their own community. I think this book serves a purpose in highlighting the importance of food banks and the jeopardy they often find themselves facing.
What a beautiful idea, a unique take on typical fundraising – bringing to life the advent calendar within the community. The three main characters, friends, work hard to pull off this incredible feat all in the hope of raising money for their local foodbank, so it can pay the rent needed to keep it going. As well as this each character is facing their own personal issues -whether that’s matters of the heart, possible illness and overzealous Mother in Laws.
Samantha Tonge has written a brilliant story with friendship and community at its heart and a cast of characters that will welcome you in and make you feel like you belong. There are many ups, there are a great deal of lows; it has drama and misunderstanding, love and grief. You will go through a wide range of emotions throughout the festive journey our ladies undertake.
A wonderfully heart-warming, life affirming tale. I enjoyed every moment and highly recommend.

I love Christmas. December 1st, out come the Christmas decorations, and all the lovely memories of Christmases gone by. I always appreciate how lovely it is to have my family around me, but realise for many, this time is particularly devastating.

This story highlights many contemporary social issues, families in poverty, homelessness and addiction. Whilst these are prevalent at all times of the year, they are more noticeable during the festive period when the divide between the have and the have nots is more acute.

The ethos of this story is emotional and heartwarming, and it shows how communities coming together can embody the true meaning of Christmas. It is a story of friendship, women supporting each other and gives hope that with the right support, even the hardest problems can be overcome.

Fern, Davina and Cara are complex characters, bound together by the friendship, through their children. Each has a story, and sometimes things are not what they first appear, but their friendship is what motivates them through the difficult times.

Kit is an enigma, kind, generous with his time, but closed off, with high emotional boundary walls. He helps Fern, start to live again, but is she asking for something he cannot give?

This is wonderfully festive, full of community spirit, but also realistic, not everyone wants to help, some would rather look the other way. The women’s friendship is believable and uplifting, and the conflicted romance between Fern and Kit is heartwarming. There are also lots of lighter moments, which balance out the angst, making this a lovely book to read to get you in the festive mood.

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